


The Dark Kingdom

by Cayenne_Avocado



Series: The Dark Kingdom [1]
Category: Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (Cartoon), Tangled (2010)
Genre: AU, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Moon Powers Varian (Disney), Rating May Change, Tags Contain Spoilers, Warnings May Change, Whump
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-18
Updated: 2020-03-12
Packaged: 2021-02-27 20:54:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 27
Words: 41,372
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22792078
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cayenne_Avocado/pseuds/Cayenne_Avocado
Summary: King Frederic never found the Sundrop flower to save Queen Arianna. She died during childbirth but not before giving birth to a healthy baby girl. Corona is now ruled with an iron fist while King Edmund and his kingdom thrives.
Relationships: Eugene Fitzherbert | Flynn Rider/Rapunzel
Series: The Dark Kingdom [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1662256
Comments: 398
Kudos: 555





	1. Imprisonment

**Author's Note:**

> Not sure if I’ll continue this but I was really happy with how it turned out! Hope everyone enjoys!

Rapunzel awoke with the sun. Not that the sun itself ever shined through the dark clouds that were a constant over the kingdom. She made her way to her window, staring at her kingdom below. The kingdom was just as dark as the sky above. The buildings were colorless, the citizens lifeless. Black rocks jutted from the ground, becoming a part of the landscape. They were tall and looming, encompassing the castle, making it more like a fortress than a welcoming structure. 

She remembered an old handmaiden she had that used to tell stories of a time when Corona was thriving, ruled by a generous king and a caring queen. The sun always shined and the town was lively, full of pastel colors. She wondered what her life would have been like if the queen never died. Would she still be expected to uphold the queen’s legacy? Would she not have this terrible pressure on her at all times? Would her father still be a tyrant, punishing the smallest of crimes with death? Would he be a better father? 

Her mind wandered to thoughts of his eyes lingering too long, his hand resting too low on her back. She shook her head, it was a curse looking so much like the dearly departed queen. She pulled her long brown hair into the mandatory half up half down hairstyle her mother was known for. She then placed powder over her cheeks, covering her freckles.  _ To look more like Queen Arianna, always more like Arianna. _ She slipped into her mother’s purple dress, placing her old necklace on as well. At least her shoes were her own, not having inherited her mother’s shoe size. 

She made her way over to one of her various shelves, running a hand over the various games there. She settled on a chess set, pulling it from the shelf. She held it in front of her as she made her way down the hall and down the stairs into the dungeons. She smiled and nodded to the guards as they parted for her. Her heels clicked as she made her way down the hall. 

Here the black rocks reigned supreme. They coated the walls, pulsing blue, as energy flowed through them. She could feel the power thick in the air, but she had been coming her for as long as she could remember that it no longer effected her. There were no other prisoners here but the one at the end of the long hall. The cell there was different than the rest, instead of iron bars the cell was made of thick amber, unbreakable. It casted an eerie glow over the boy that sat in the center. His hair was bright blue, with eyes to match, and freckles that glowed like stars splashed across his face. Dark chains were around his wrists, pulsing in sync with the rest of the black rocks around them. The chains were connected to the ground draining energy from the boy. He was the source of the rocks, keeping the kingdom full of them and safe from outsiders. 

“Hello, Moonstone. I brought chess today.” Rapunzel placed the game on the floor between them, setting up the game. He stared blankly ahead, eyes looking through her. She moved one of her pieces. “Your turn.” 

He didn’t respond, he never did. Without missing a beat, she turned the board around so she could move the opposing pieces, before flipping it once again. She continued like that when his voice barely a whisper cut through the sound of the pieces moving. 

“Where’s my dad?” 

_ Always the same questions. _

“He’s here.”

“Can I see him?”

“No.” 

_ Always the same answers.  _

“Checkmate.” Rapunzel exclaimed, starting to pack up the pieces. He didn’t react, he never did. She rose and smiled nonetheless. “See you tomorrow.” She made her way back out and into her tower. 

_The tower that keeps her safe. The tower that keeps her imprisoned._

He had been here for most of his life. He hardly remembered a time before. He could never forget his father though. 

_ “Daddy ! I’m scared!”  _

_ “I know, I know. It’s going to be okay. Just drink this. It’s going to be okay. They can’t hurt you.” He choked as the glowing blue liquid was forced down his throat. He sobbed as his father placed a soft kiss in his hair, before they were found by the guards and forced away from each other forever.  _

He had never even had the chance to be anything besides the moonstone. It was his name, it’s what he is. Nothing more, nothing less. His power used for things he had no say in. A constant pain flowed through him as the power ebbed and flowed into the rocks and earth. He was used to it by now. He knew nothing else. 

The chains rattled softly with the soft breeze that came with the door opening and closing. He briefly glanced at the chains. The cursed things dug uncomfortably into his skin. The only things that kept him here. The magic they were made of was powerful, he had tried to break them once upon a time, they leeched the life force of the thing they were connected to, using the power for its selfish king. Unfortunately the moonstone kept him alive and an ever present source of power. 

_The moonstone that keeps him safe. The moonstone that keeps him imprisoned._

Cassandra finished sweeping the small cabin she lived in. She glanced around, mother would be proud. She frowned slightly noticing something missing from her mother’s bed. She placed a small red heart in the center of the pillow and smiled once more. Mother would appreciate the thought when she returned. She glanced out the window. The small area around the cabin was teeming with flora and fauna, surrounded by a stream. A bridge connected her small patch of life with the desolate landscape beyond. The black rocks jutted from the ground, killing all surrounding life. 

She pulled a watering can from the shelf and made her way to the stream, humming a tune as she filled the can. She went around the back of the cabin to a small door on the ground. Flinging the door she slipped inside, careful not to spill any water. The room was bare, save for the golden flower that glowed in the center. She watered the soil around the flower, watching as the golden energy flowed into the ground. It was her job to care for the magical flower when her mother was gone. 

_ “I’ll be back soon, dear! It’s not everyday the king requests an audience with yours truly, you know.” Mother sing songed. She patted Cassandra’s head before placing a small kiss on top of her hair. “Don’t forget to take care of my flower!” _

Nearly fifteen years later and mother had yet to return. But she was happy to do her duty until she did. She smiled, satisfied with her work, as the flower returned to its normal glow. 

_ The flower that keeps her safe. The flower that keeps her imprisoned. _

Prince Horace leaned on the railing of his balcony overlooking his kingdom. His eyes didn’t look to the thriving town below, but to the tall walls that encompassed them. He could see the black rocks slowly encroaching on his land. Making slow progress towards the walls. They were still a ways off but it wouldn’t be long now. And where the black rocks made their presence known the tyrant king followed. 

That’s why the walls were necessary to keep both him and his army out. But he didn’t care about that, not really. All he wanted was to be free. To travel and explore. To experience other places. To have no responsibility. He was not happy here, not truly. He let out a longing sigh, turning slightly at the sound of a gentle knock. 

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” His mother stood in the doorway, her long dark hair cascading down her back, a soft smile on her lips. 

He turned his eyes to the town. His town, his kingdom. Yet he didn’t see the beauty from being all the way up here, never truly a part of his own people. He let a sad smile grace his lips. “Yeah.” 

She frowned now. Closing the distance between them and turning him slightly to face her. She gently cupped his face in her hands. “You think too much.” 

His smile grew slightly. He’d let her think he was concerned about the people, the kingdom. It would soothe her mind, make her more at ease that he would be a good king like his father. “They’ll be here soon.” 

“They will. And we will be ready for them.” Ever confident, ever poised. He expected nothing less from her. He removed her hands and placed a chaste kiss on her knuckles, leading her away from the balcony. He spared one last longing look at the scenery beyond the wall. 

_ The wall that keeps him safe. The wall that keeps him imprisoned.  _


	2. Freedom

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So good news I decided to continue the story! Bad news I’ve upped the rating and there are some sensitive topics in this chapter. It doesn’t go into much detail, but read at your own risk! I hope everyone continues to enjoy! Our kiddos are going to be put through the ringer!

Today was her eighteenth birthday and yet there was nothing special about it. She went about her morning routine as normal. Getting dressed in her mother’s old outfit, visiting Moonstone, and staring out of her tower. She knew there would be a ball in her honor later that night. People would dance for her. People would sing and entertain her. And at the end of it all she would claim her title as Princess of Corona. And there was nothing she dreaded more. 

She glared at her coronation dress in the corner of her room, another imitation of her mother’s dress. She just wanted to be her own person and it seemed like something she couldn’t do here. She spotted the paints in the corner of her room, smiling to herself. She grabbed them and made her way over to the dress. 

“Now announcing, Princess Rapunzel!” 

For once in her life Rapunzel had a genuine smile on her face as she strutted into the ballroom. Her dress now adorned various paintings, her hair tied up in an intricate braid, flowers spread throughout. She even forewent the powder on her cheeks, allowing her freckles to show proudly. Her held high, she made her way to her throne on the far end of the throne room. As she made her way whispers of awe fell through the crowd. Her smile grew wider with a newfound confidence. She was practically glowing as she ascended the final steps to where her father waited. She dipped into a deep curtsy, lifting her eyes to meet his. She startled, faltering slightly in her curtsy. 

“What is the meaning of this?!” King Frederic bellowed, voice echoing throughout the room. 

“Wha- I-“ Rapunzel stammered, legs starting to cramp in her position, not yet having received permission to rise. 

“You dare deface the Queen’s property? Is this a joke to you?” This time it was more than his voice that reverberated through the room. Rapunzel fell to the floor, as his hand connected with her cheek. Before she even had time to properly react her father grabbed her wrist, pulling her to her feet. “Let this be a lesson, not even the princess is excused from punishment.” 

She desperately tried to meet someone’s eyes in a silent plead for help. Not one person met her gaze, fearing more for themselves than the fate of their princess. She tugged at her arm in a sad attempt to get free from her father’s grip as he dragged her from the room into a nearby servants quarters. He roughly threw her onto the bed, looming over her. 

“Father, please! I didn’t mean to upset you!” She pleading, tears streaming freely down her face. She had no idea what was going to happen, she had no idea what to expect. He had never shown this kind of anger, this kind of pure rage and hatred in his eyes. 

“You don’t deserve this.” He tore the skirt of the dress, then the sleeves. “You don’t deserve her life.” He tore her braid loose. “You don’t deserve to live.” 

She screamed and cried. She kicked and fought. But it  _ hurt _ .  _ Everything hurt.  _

When it seemed that he finally had his fill he turned to the door, snarling. “Get yourself cleaned up and when you’re presentable rejoin the celebration.” He stormed out the door without another word. 

Rapunzel sobbed freely, letting each one out with shuddering breaths. Once she her breathing settled a bit she grabbed a scrap of fabric and wiped her face. She couldn’t take this anymore. She had been locked up and abused her whole life, never allowed to be her own person. But no more. Her gaze steeled. He had taken everything from her. So she was going to take everything from him. She was going to take his power. 

Rapunzel was a storm and she had no intention of letting up. She shoved the doors to the dungeons open with a force even she didn’t know she possessed. Grateful that the whole kingdom was required to attend the ball, she easily made her way to the same cell she visited everyday. She gripped the dagger she had picked up along the way, tightly, bending down in front of the boy. The bars just wide enough for her to squeeze through with some effort. 

“I’m sorry, you don’t deserve this.” She whispered, tears falling once again. She held the dagger high above her head, poised to strike. He blinked, she hesitated. The dagger clattered uselessly to the ground. She maneuvered so she was sitting against the wall, bringing her knees up to her chest. “I’m just like him aren’t I?” 

The chains rattled beside her. She traced them from the ground to where they were connected around his wrists, the pulsing blue light hypnotizing. Getting an idea she picked the dagger back up, swinging it this time with no hesitation. She gasped as the dagger shattered on contact. “It’s no use. We’re stuck here.” She sighed, leaning her head back against the wall, shutting her eyes tightly.

Rapunzel’s eyes shot open, a surprised gasp escaping her. The boy’s hand was placed so softly on top of hers she briefly thought she imagined the contact. He was still looking straight ahead, however. She smiled nonetheless with renewed vigor. She would get them both out of here. And she would never look back. 

She scanned the area, looking for anything that might be of use to break the chains, refusing to give up. In the far corner, where the amber bars met the black rocks, was a small piece of one of the rocks. If she had to guess it broke off when the amber formed. It was no bigger than an arrowhead, but it would get the job done. She murmured a quick prayer hoping above all else that this would work. The black rocks were near indestructible, if anything was to work it had to be this. She spread the chain out, making a clear target, and lifted the rock above her head. She put everything she had into the attack. Her hopes, her dreams, every last bit of strength. And the rock connected with the link she selected. 

Rapunzel was slammed harshly against the bars as a bright blue light exploded from the center of the room. The boy let out a blood curdling scream as he thrashed and spasmed on the ground. She shakily got to her feet, trying to make her way to him. She stumbled, dust raining down from the ceiling, realizing that the whole room was shaking. The black rocks were breaking, crumbling without their power source. The amber bars shattering. She needed to move quickly. Kicking off her heels to better steady herself she tugged the chain until it was fully separated from its other half. 

The boy stopped screaming. The blue in his hair faded to black save for a single blue streak in his bangs. His haunting blue eyes made way for a more natural blue. Even the glowing freckles on his cheeks were snuffed out like stars. Most concerning, however, was the blood that trickled from his ears and nose. 

Rapunzel took a cautious step forward, their eyes meeting for a second before his rolled to the back of his head. Despite that it was the first time she felt as if he truly saw her. She surged forward checking for a pulse, sighing in relief as she found one. Her relief didn’t last long as commotion from the ballroom started to drift down. She silently cursed her luck that the tremors didn’t just happen down in the dungeons. Moving with a speed she didn’t know she possessed, she took the boy’s shackled wrists and maneuvered them so they were around her neck. She hooked her arms around his knees and hoisted him onto her back, small black rock still in hand in case she need it later. Without looking back she took off in a mad sprint, the remainder of the chain thudding uncomfortably against her chest. 

For once she was grateful her father left her to her own devices most of the time. She knew all the twists and turns of the castle, which way the guards would be coming from and how to avoid them. Ignoring the pain in her bare feet, as debris found its way into the soft flesh there, she made her way to the stables. Never hesitating. Never looking back. 

Rapunzel pulled the nearest horse from its stable, hushing it softly as it whinnied in protest. She carefully draped the boy over the back of the horse and hoisted herself up, deciding to forego the saddle. She dug her heels into the horse’s side, surging it forward. She barely had enough time to grip the mane as they took off into the night. They easily cleared the bridge connecting Corona with the rest of the world. 

Once she was sure they were a safe distance away, she slowed the horse to a trot. She frowned finally being able to take in the landscape around them. The ground was charred black as if covered in ash. The trees were bare. Black rocks that once stood tall were cracked, while some had retreated completely. She knew Corona was in bad shape, but she had never imagined it was this bad. Even more she couldn’t believe the boy in front of her had been the cause of it all. But it wasn’t his fault was it? Her father was to blame for all of this. 

Thinking of her father brought all her aches and pains to the forefront of her mind. Her cheek and feet throbbed. She could feel blood trickling from the cuts on her feet. Bruises blossomed down her arms and a particularly nasty one had made itself known by her ribs, aching with each breath. 

She spotted a nearby stream and led the horse to it. She could at least take care of her feet and get something to drink. With all the crying she did today she wouldn’t be surprised if she was dehydrated. She swiftly dismounted before removing the boy from the horse’s back and propping him gently against a nearby tree. She then moved to the stream taking greedy gulps of water. She wiped the remaining drops from her mouth, scooting close enough to the stream to put her feet in. 

She only allowed herself a brief moment of rest. She used her makeshift dagger to cut the sleeves from her dress, leaving just enough to keep it up, they would make temporary stockings to keep her feet more or less clean. Rapunzel then used the dagger to cut the skirt of the dress so it was now just below her knees and cut it into strips. She wrapped a long piece around her waist, placing her black rock dagger in the small pocket it made. She looked at her reflection in the stream. The bruise on her cheek already a nasty purple color. She touched it gingerly, wincing at the pain it caused. 

Rapunzel sighed, staring at her reflection, a near picture perfect copy of her mother. She ran a hand through her long brown hair, freezing when an idea struck her. She held the lock of hair, pulling the dagger from her new belt. She ran it choppily through the hair in her hand, watching as it fell into the stream and was swept away. She smiled wide, feeling as if a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She continued until her brown hair was short and choppy, but she smiled nonetheless. She kicked her feet excitedly in the stream, laughing into the night. 

She was  _ free .  She was finally free. _


	3. Freedom: Part Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What’s this another chapter?! It’s much shorter than the rest, but I felt that it needed to be its own. Originally I was going to have this one, which focuses on Eugene, and Casandra’s together, but their arcs are different and Cass doesn’t gain her freedom quite as quickly as the others. So her chapter will probably be it’s own and shorter as well. Any who enjoy!

Horace drummed his fingers impatiently against the table in front of him, his chin resting in his other hand. He stared out the window hardly paying any attention to the evening reports. The sun had set long ago and yet his knights kept rattling on about things he had no interest in. He dragged his eyes from the window as a pair of hands slammed down in front of him. 

“Do my reports bore you,  _ your highness _ ?” The man in front of him snarled with piercing green eyes that would make anyone else squirm under their scrutiny. 

Horace, however, rolled his eyes and glanced back out the window. “Oh yes, Hector, please do go on. I just adore hearing about the thriving fish population in Equis.” He opened his mouth to say more, but something in the distance caught his eye. The black rocks looked like they were retreating. He stood making his way towards the window. He squinted spotting a blue light in the distance, that seemed to be moving closer. He grunted as he was tackled to the ground, covering his face as glass rained down from the shattered windows. He pushed the older man off of him and hopped to his feet. 

“What the  _ fuck _ was that?!” Horace groaned, dusting the stray glass from his hair. 

“Language, dear.” His mother chided, looking poised as ever even as she was helped up from the floor by their most trusted knight, Adira. The knights of the Brotherhood had always been a mystery to him. Once there had been three and their sole purpose was to protect the moonstone. When he was nine his dad was in a terrible accident involving the moonstone that cost him his hand. Afterwards he had sent one of the knights and his child away to keep the moonstone safe. The others were sent on their own missions. It was a few years later when it became evident that he had failed and the stone fell into the tyrant King’s hands. Adira and Hector were swiftly called from their posts and set up in the castle, working strictly to keep the kingdom safe. 

“You okay there, Fishskin?” Adira taunted, waving a hand in front of his face. He blinked, tearing his eyes from Adria’s half painted red face and back to the horizon which was now devoid of black rocks. 

“Yeah, what was that?” He tried again, his mother nodding her head at his change in tone. 

“ _ That _ , was the moonstone.” King Edmund stated, rising from his position on the floor and straightening his hand prosthetic. “I believe it has changed hands.” 

Adira and Hector shared a look he couldn’t understand. Horace raised an eyebrow confused at the sudden tension in the room. “Isn’t that a good thing? Doesn’t that mean good ol Freddy no longer has it?” 

“It could be, yes.” The Queen stated, moving to help her husband with his arm. 

“But we also knew Fredric’s intentions and could properly plan for them. We have no idea what the new holder of the moonstone wants or what they plan to do with that power.” Edmund finished, before turning to Hector and Adira. “Locate the moonstone and bring it back here at once. We cannot allow the same thing to happen again.” 

“Yes, my king.” The knights bowed and took their leave. 

“I want to go!” Horace shouted, halting the knights progress. His mother and father shared a look, nodding to the two knights dismissing them. Horace rolled his eyes. “I can help. I’m no use here. I can help retrieve the moonstone.” 

“You are needed here. We must ensure our citizens that everything is fine and they are safe. They are our number one priority. We must stand united. Adira and Hector are more than capable of bringing the stone back here where it belongs.” His mother soothed, reaching for his hands. 

“No, the kingdom needs you two.” He pulled his hands back. “Let me help them. If it’s as urgent as you say, they will need all the help they can get.” 

“Horace, listen to your mother. We can’t risk losing you.” Edmund agreed, placing a hand on his shoulder. 

“I’ll be fine. I can take care of myself! Is this not what I’ve been training for my whole life? Is this not my duty as crown prince of Selene? To protect the moonstone?” Horace countered, shrugging his hand off. 

“Your just not ready yet. But you will be in time.” The Queen explained, trying to make her words as kind as possible. 

Horace scoffed. Sure he was impulsive at times but he always had everyone’s best interest at heart. “How do you know when you’ve never given me the chance?” Before either could answer he stormed out of the room. He was going to make this right, he would bring the moonstone back and then they’d see. 

Horace quickly made his way to his chambers and changed from his more formal attire to the gear he used for combat training. He strapped a dagger to his thigh and a sword to his hip. He grabbed a satchel and stuffed it with supplies he thought necessary for his journey. Finally he draped a dark cloak over his shoulders, making his way to the stables. He chose a random horse, not wanting to raise suspicion by taking his own. He pushed the horse into a steady run and soon enough he was outside the walls to his kingdom. He smiled brightly, laughing to the sky as the wind wiped through his hair. 

And for once he felt  _ free .  Truly and utterly free.  _


	4. War

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y’all I struggled with this chapter. It was so hard to write a whole chapter on Cassandra without having anyone else for her to play off of. I think it turned out ok although I’m not very happy with the beginning. Anyways I hope you enjoy!

Cassandra was asleep when it happened. Curled up on her too small bed, she felt the shift in the magic in the air. It gave her enough time to throw herself to the floor, covering her head. Thankfully, none of the glass reached her. She wasn’t out of the woods yet, however. The ground shook violently. Each tremor making her teeth rattle in her skull. She stumbled to her feet, as a loud crack echoed throughout the house. She swung the door open running to the back of the house. She stared in shock as a large crack ran up the side of the mountain and into the ground below. The mountain still seemed to be stable, but the cellar door was split clean in two. She thanked her lucky stars that the crack didn’t reach the stream or the flower would have been done for. 

Running back inside Cassandra grabbed a flower pot and a small shovel. She carefully removed the wooden door and took a small blind step down. The tremors had since stopped but she was still wary about going down into the cellar. She hesitated wishing she had also grabbed a candle even though the flower gave off a warm glow. Slowly but surely she arrived at the bottom. She was lucky enough that the tremors only cracked the surface of the earth. Not wanting to take any risks she made quick work of transferring the flower from its current location to the pot and ran back upstairs. 

Cassandra frowned looking for a safe place to the flower. It wasn’t safe to keep it in the house, out in the open. It would be too easy for someone to steal, she needed to find somewhere it would be out of reach should she need to head into town for one thing or another. There was always Mother’s secret chamber. She wasn’t even supposed to know about it but one night she snuck out of bed and happened upon Mother opening the passage. She weighed her options. On one hand mother would be furious if she knew she went into her private chambers, but the flower would be safe. If she kept the flower in the open and something happened to it mother would be livid. The cellar was also no longer safe, if the tremors happened again it could cave in and once again the flower would be destroyed. She sighed, making her way to Mother’s chambers she would have to accept the consequences to keep the flower safe. 

Cassandra made her way to the back of the cabin, opening the door to her Mother’s room. There was a bed, wardrobe, and a full length mirror on one side, while the other side had a desk and chair with various notes spread about. She didn’t dare touch her Mother’s things besides what was necessary to clean, the heart still placed in the center of her bed. She lightly ran her fingers over it before making her way to the mirror. She grabbed one side of it and pulled it with all her might. It gave way with a long groan. On the other side was a basket large enough to hold a person and a pulley system. She couldn’t see what lied below in the darkness. She quickly lit a candle and used a foot to test the integrity of the basket. When she was satisfied that it was safe she placed the candle and flower inside and followed suit. 

Carefully Cassandra lowered the basket, ensuring the candle didn’t tip over. It seemed like an eternity before the basket made contact with the ground. She wiped the sweat from her forehead, using the red ribbon she kept around her wrist to tie up her shoulder length wavy black hair. She tucked her shovel under her arm and took the candle in one hand and the flower in the other. She made her way into the wide cavern, spotting another desk on the opposite side. 

Cassandra hurried over to it, maybe it had a clue to as what Mother was doing and why the flower was so important. The notes here were more organized, seemingly just about the flower. Tacked to the wall was a torn piece of parchment. She leaned in close, on it had a picture of the sun and moon, drops fell from underneath them. The sun side had a flower at the bottom that looked suspiciously like the one in her arms. The moon side was cut off but a few black rocks like the ones she was accustomed to seeing outside her window everyday. There were a few words written in her Mother’s hand on the side closest to the sun. She brought the candle closer, squinting to see them. 

“Flower, gleam and glow. Let your power shine-“ Cassandra yelped, dropping the flower as it started to glow brightly with every word. The flower pot shattered as it hit the ground, flower tipped over. She cursed under her breath, frantically trying to clean up the mess she just made. Wanting to leave before she made another mistake she quickly planted the flower and cleaned up the remaining mess on the desk. She grabbed her candle and made her way back to the basket, her mind swirling with questions as she pulled herself back to the top. Had Mother known about the flower’s power? She must have, but why not tell her about it? All she knew was it was important and needed to be protected. She hadn’t asked any questions. Maybe she should have. Could it be used to combat the power that the tyrant king had? The same king her mother had gone to see but never returned from. She wasn’t sure what the flower could do but she was going to find out. And once she did she was going to march into that god forsaken castle and get her mother back. 

Fist clenched at her side and eyes hardened in determination, she would continue Mother’s research. She would succeed in unlocking the secrets that were held within the flower. 

She was waging a  _ war. Now all she needed was a sword.  _


	5. Questions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just wanted to take a moment to thank everyone that has been following this story. It has gotten so much more attention than I could have possibly imagined. So thank you everyone for the kudos, comments, and just taking the time to read! 
> 
> Side note: I believe Morrrelka mentioned something about moon Varian and protective Raps, well this one’s for you!

The sun shined brightly on his face rousing him from his sleep. His head was pounding, feeling as if it would break free from his skull at any second. He groaned, groggily blinking his eyes as he tried to adjust to the sunlight. His grogginess turned to panic as he realized sunlight had no way of reaching his cell and while he was still in a lot of pain it had more of the feeling of stiff muscles than the constant hot flow of magic as his power was drained from him. He could still feel the power within him, however, thrumming just below his fingertips. 

He was startled out of his thoughts as a pair of bright green eyes entered his field of vision. He tried to scramble back, only succeeding in hitting his still pounding head on the tree behind him. 

“I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to scare you.” The girl said, reaching out to him before retracting her hands not wanting to startle him again. “Are you okay?” 

He blinked, tilting his head slightly, confusion evident on his features. He couldn’t remember the last time he had been asked that. Was he okay? How did he know if he wasn’t? Did it matter one way or another? He didn’t even remember the last time he was coherent enough to provide an answer. Probably when he was still with his dad. He scrambled to his feet heart pounding in his chest. If he was here, where was his dad. 

“Where’s my dad?” He asked, confusion returning to his features as he realized he was still wearing his chains but they weren’t attached to anything. What was the purpose if they weren’t attached to anything? 

The girl frowned as if contemplating on how to answer the question. His confusion grew, she never hesitated before. “He’s... he’s not here.” 

His brows furrowed, eyes darting all over her face trying to process what she had just said. It didn’t make sense. She always said his dad was there, but if he was here why wasn’t his dad? Why wouldn’t she bring them both? He just wanted his dad and he expressed as much. 

“I want my dad!” He yelled, stomping his foot as anger overtook him. The girl scrambled back, barely escaping the black rocks that shot from the ground around the boy as if to protect him. They were hardly the length of her forearm, but deadly nonetheless. The horse whinnied in fright at the sight of them, taking off before the girl could do anything but reach for it. 

He suddenly felt very dizzy, swaying dangerously on his feet, blood trickling from his nose again. She surged forward, gracefully side stepping the rocks, catching him before he hit the ground and propping him back up against the tree. 

“Hey, take it easy, you’re safe. I’m not going to hurt you.” She soothed, running a comforting hand through his hair. 

“Dad?” He questioned, eyes glassy and hazy, the pounding in his head increasing in a way he didn’t know was possible. 

“He’s fine. I just couldn’t get you both out.” She explained. He opened his mouth argument at the ready but she cut him off. “We’ll go back for him as soon as we’ve recovered, okay? Everything’s going to be okay, I _promise_. And when I promise something I never, _ever_ , break that promise.” 

He only nodded in response, mouth feeling dry and tears starting to gather in his eyes. She gently wiped away the few tears that fell, offering him a small smile. She rose to her feet, making her way to the stream. He watched, curiously as she dipped her hands in and made her way back over. She held her hands to his lips waiting patiently for him to drink the water. He stared, confused as to what she expected him to do. 

“Drink.” She said simply, not showing any irritation at his confusion, only patience. He brought his hands to meet hers, chains rattling as he did so, and gently guided them to take a greedy sip of water. He hadn’t even realized how thirsty he was. He hadn’t had anything to eat or drink in years, after having the misfortune of having a particularly neglectful guard theycame to the realization that as long as his power flowed freely he had no need for basic human necessities. Although it left him in the hazy, not quite there state that he had grown accustomed to. Her voice brought him out of his haze. “More?” 

He nodded fervently, wiping the water that had managed to drip down his chin. She brought him another handful of water, before heading back to the stream and dipping a piece of cloth in. She used it to gently clean the blood from his ears and nose, humming a slight tune as she did so. She frowned slightly eyes trailing the chains still on his wrists. “Let’s get these off, hmm?” 

She pulled a small dagger from her belt and took his wrist in her other hand. “I’m not going to hurt you, but I need you to trust me.” She waited for him to give a small nod of affirmation, before sliding the dagger between the shackle and his wrist. In one swift motion she slid the dagger to the side, cutting through the cuff like butter. She did the same for the other, letting them clatter to the ground. He rubbed his wrists, feeling strangely bare without the chains. The skin was raw and irritated, hurting underneath his touch. He hadn’t even noticed the girl had moved until she was wrapping a damp strip of cloth around each wrist. “I’m Rapunzel, by the way. I’m not sure we’ve ever been properly introduced. What’s your name?” 

He blinked, confused once again. Did he have a name? He couldn’t really remember. He’s sure Dad gave him one. He had to, right? 

Rapunzel smiled sadly at him, cupping his face gently and using her thumb to wipe tears that fell down his face. “It’s okay. We’ll just have to give you one ourselves, until you remember.” She tapped her chin in thought for a moment, eyes sparkling brightly when an idea struck her. “How about Varian? It means likely to change, since we’ll be changing your name back once we know your real one.” 

He turned the name over in his mind, nodding after a minute deciding the name suited him, the corners of his lips turning slightly upward into the smallest smile Rapunzel had ever seen. She clapped her hands together excitedly, rising from her spot on the ground. “Great! Shall we get going, Varian? I don’t know about you but I’d much rather find somewhere a bit more comfortable to sleep before it gets dark.” 

She marched forward with a confidence he could only dream of possessing. “If we follow the stream it should take us to some form of civilization, eventually. Then we can properly rest and find a way to save your dad.” 

Varian nodded along as he trailed behind her, even though she couldn’t see him. His smile grew slightly. He had a name. He had an ally, who promised to help him for once in his life. And while he still had quite the headache, he was present and had a clear mind. 

A mind that swirled with  _ questions. And he’d be damned if he wasn’t going to get the answers.  _


	6. Exchange

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If anyone wants to chat you can find me on tumblr under cayenneavocado where I mostly just reblog pretty tangled art lol! Enjoy the chapter everyone! Things are starting to get rolling!

Rapunzel’s feet were killing her. Her stomach growled fiercely and she wondered, not for the first time, how she was going to deal with this mess. Surely her father was looking for her. And if not for her, then for certain moon- Varian, his name was Varian now. She looked back at the boy in question, trailing further and further behind her. She slowed her pace even more, wishing she had made a more fleshed out plan before acting so impulsively. They wouldn’t last long without food and she had no idea how to set up a proper campsite. She had been so tired the previous night she hadn’t cared. To top it off their horse was gone, so everything was going to take longer for them. They would need to find civilization if they had any hopes of making it. The landscape was so barren, it didn’t offer much in terms of scavenging for food. 

She ran a frustrated hand through her hair. She also had a promise to keep. It would take a while for them to regain their strength and by then she hoped the heat from their escape would die down. She wasn’t worried about getting in or out of the castle, she knew all the ins and outs like the back of her hand, but given that she had never actually seen his father. The answers she always gave Varian about his father had been fed to her by her own. She had trusted him then, now she wasn’t sure. What if something bad happened to him? Or worse yet, what if he was dead? How would Varian react? 

Her mind was brought back to the present as his small voice made its way over to her. “Rapunzel! Look!” He pointed to the left of them, a small part of the stream splitting off from the main path, leading to a small cabin. She smiled at the sight of it, but it quickly turned to a frown at the peculiarity of it. The cabin seemed to be well maintained, save for the wooden boards that covered the windows. That wasn’t what was odd about it, however. The cabin land it sat on was a healthy green, a few flowers sprouting from the ground near the stream, there was even an apple tree to the side of it. It was a vast contrast from the dark, barren land they were currently standing on. Any reservations she might have previously had were squashed by her stomach rumbling cruelly. 

“Let’s get some food.” Rapunzel made her way forward, previous concerns forgotten for the moment. All that mattered right now was that they were safe and well fed. 

Cassandra was in her mother’s chambers when she felt the same wave of magic that had swept through last night. Although this time it was a constant and barely there, just a small prick on the back of her neck. She might have mistaken it for a chill passing by had Mother not trained her to detect anything unnatural that might pose a threat to their flower. She immediately shoved the papers she had been reading over into a drawer, heading to the front of the cabin. She hadn’t been able to go back to sleep last night, so she busied herself with cleaning up the glass, boarding up her windows, and moving her mother’s research upstairs where she could better focus on it. She instantly regretted her decision to board the windows as she had no way of seeing out to ensure her home was safe. 

Her fears were confirmed when a distinctly female laugh filled the air. She quickly glanced around for a anything she could use as a weapon. Mother had taught her a few protection spells to shield the house from view, but those would do her no good now that the intruder was on her property. She grabbed a knife and a frying pan from her kitchen, a temporary sword and shield. She swung the front door open, deftly pointing her knife underneath the chin of the girl on the other side of the door. 

“State your name and purpose and I _might_ let you live.” Cassandra said with confidence, holding her chin high. The girl stared at her with wide fearful eyes, hands held up in surrender. Behind her was a boy about a head shorter than the girl. His eyes were just as wide, but the apple in his mouth made them look comically so. She took note of the torn and ragged clothes they were wearing. Perhaps they were refugees from the main city of Corona. But the necklace around the girl’s neck looked to be quite expensive. Runaways then, she settled. Neither of them had said a word yet and that was grating on her last nerves. Mother would already be unhappy she let them get this close to begin with. 

“Look, I don’t take kindly to thieves, and quite frankly I’m losing my patience. So I’ll ask you one more time. _State your name and purpose_.” She used her knife to lift the girl’s chin slightly. The girl, however, looked more annoyed than scared at the moment. 

“Thieves?! We are not _thieves_!” The girl even had the audacity to push her knife away from its position. Cassandra raised an eyebrow, using her knife to gesture to the boy, before returning it to its previous position at the girls neck. She pushed it away again. “Look, we’ve been traveling all day and don’t have any food or supplies. _Excuse us_ for thinking this place was abandoned!” 

Cassandra watched as the girl gestured wildly to the boarded windows. Her own eyes widening slightly at the girl’s revelation that they had no supplies. They wouldn’t make it long out there without any supplies, even if she did let them have their fill of food. She knew Equis had reopened its borders for refugees from Corona again, but even that was a few days journey at best. And if she was correct, which she was pretty sure she was, these two had no experience in traveling that kind of distance. For god sake the boy still had that stupid apple in his mouth. Cassandra made a decision she was sure she was going to regret. 

“Your necklace.” She deadpanned, moving her knife to hook underneath the item mentioned. 

“ _Excuse me_?” The girl questioned, taking a step back and clutching her necklace protectively. 

“Give me your necklace and I will get you the necessary supplies you need to get safely out of Corona. It might take me a while to get everything without raising suspicion, but I can get everything. You can stay here during that time. You will cook and clean and do _everything_ I say. I’m going to sell the necklace, use the money to get your supplies, then I will keep the remainder as payment for the inconvenience you’ve caused me.” Cassandra explained, finally lowering her knife. 

“And if we refuse?” 

“You’ll most likely die before you even make it to Old Corona.” Cassandra watched as the girl weighed their options, glancing between her, the necklace, and the boy. The girl smiled slightly at the boy, gently removing the apple from his mouth and making a chewing motion with her own. Only then did her start chewing and eventually swallowed. Cassandra raised an eyebrow at this, but decided to ignore the strange behavior as the girl moved to take the necklace off and place it in her outstretched hand. She felt the weight of the necklace in her hand. They were definitely runaways, probably nobility judging by the weight of the jewels and the fine fabric of the girl’s dress. She awkwardly moved out of the way to let them into the cabin. 

“You will remain in this area. Cook and clean daily. And under _no circumstances_ are you to go into my room.” Cassandra explained, gesturing to her mother’s chambers. The two stood uncomfortably just passed the entryway. “Now that we have an understanding, I’m Cassandra.” 

“Umm, I’m Rapunzel and this is Varian.” Rapunzel introduced, shifting from foot to foot. 

“Okay, well, I’ll be in my room. If you need anything just knock. Everything you need should be out here though.” Cassandra hurried into the other room, shutting the door and letting out a breath she didn’t know she was holding. Something about them unnerved her. They were definitely hiding something. She ran her fingers over the jewels of the necklace, already regretting her decision to take them in. She hoped Mother wouldn’t be upset. 

Her finger stopped it’s motion, running over rough gold instead of the previous smooth surface of the setting the stones were in. She brought it up to eye level, spotting a small sun engraved in the setting. Her breath hitched, only royals were allowed to wear Corona’s symbol. She opened her door just enough to peek out. Rapunzel’s posture had been perfect, her presence was for sure regal. But if Rapunzel was the princess, then who was the boy? A small smile graced her lips. If she wasn’t able to unlock the secrets of the flower, perhaps she could use something else to gain the King’s favor and see her mother again. 

She would much rather end the King’s reign,  _ but that didn’t mean an exchange couldn’t be made.  _


	7. Luck

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We now interrupt your regularly scheduled program to take a look into what some of our other friends are up to! Enjoy everyone!

King Frederic was livid. He knelt in front of the cell that used to hold his most prized possession. He held a piece of purple fabric between his fingers, boots crunching the destroyed amber beneath. Betrayed, by his own fucking daughter. Arianna would  _ never _ .  _ She _ would have stood by his side no matter what.  _ She _ was loyal to the very end.  _ She _ would never betray him. But she had hadn’t she, she had left, given up and left him with a mess to clean up and nothing but an ache in his heart. And he was forced to look at her face everyday. The same green eyes, the same round face, the same small nose, even the same petite frame and brown hair. But it wasn’t truly her, was it? No it was a poor copy, a sad imitation at best. And perhaps if he had noticed sooner he would have been able to prevent  _ this _ . This ultimate betrayal, by his own  _ fucking _ daughter. How poetic. 

He stood abruptly, handing the scrap to the nearest guard. “Who was to be guarding the cell?” The guards shared a look with each other, but none dared to answer. Frederic, patience running thin, pulled the sword out of its sheath from the guard standing next to him. “Do  _ not _ make me repeat myself.” 

A young guard stepped forward, shaking quite literally in his boots, most likely a new recruit. “It- it was my turn, your majesty.” Frederic simply raised an eyebrow, which apparently the bastard took as permission to continue with his incessant rambling. “You did say that- that everyone was to attend the Princess’s coronation and I- I thought-“ 

The young man never finished his thought. The king swiftly ran the borrowed sword through the man’s gut. He tossed the used weapon to the ground at the boots of the guard from which he borrowed it and straightened his vest slightly. “Since all of you seem to be incompetent in making logical decisions let me make this as simple as possible for you to understand. Bring me back my daughter and the boy. If you have to choose,  _ throw her off a fucking cliff .”  _

She was livid, absolutely, completely, utterly,  l _ivid_ _._ Her normally poised and calm demeanor faded away to make way for her fury and she didn’t give a  _ damn _ who saw. She stormed into her and her husband’s bedroom, throwing the piece of paper that been near wrinkled to oblivion in her steel grip onto the bed. 

“Did you know about this?” She questioned, gesturing to the paper, as her husband stared at her with big blank eyes. He picked it up and quickly scanned it over, running a hand down his face. It was all the confirmation she needed that he did in fact know. “Why didn’t you tell me?” 

“I didn’t want you to worry, dear.” He said simply. She took a deep breath through her nose, pinching the bridge of it. She had to remind herself sometimes how much she loved her dear, idiotic, husband. 

“And you didn’t think that getting a note slid to me from my handmaiden, no less, about how my son was spotted galloping away in the night, instead of hearing it from my husband would make me worry less?” 

He stood, taking both her hands in his one. “Of course not. But I figured by the time the message got to you I’d have enough time to not only send word to Adira and Hector to be on the lookout, I’d also have time to send a small search party after him. That way you could rest easy, knowing we’ve done everything we can. The rest is going to be up to Horace. We have no choice but to trust he can handle himself.” 

She smiled, resting her head on Edmund’s chest. Maybe her husband was the sweetest, most caring person in the world. Maybe she was just as lucky to have found him. “He will be fine. He’s smart and resourceful, just like his father.” She rose on her tiptoes, planting a kiss on his cheek. 

“No, he gets that from you.” Edmund countered, a laugh reverberating through his whole frame. “He gets his stubbornness and dashing good looks from me.” 

She lightly smacked his chest, a playful smile on her lips. She would be sleeping easy tonight and every night she knew her husband was looking out for her and their family. 

Hector rubbed the dirt between his fingers, bringing it closer to his nose to get a good whiff, other hand brushing lightly against the track left in the dirt. A foot briefly crossed his vision, smearing the track he had been examining. He bit back a growl at his sister’s antics. 

“This is pointless. You know our priority is locating the moonstone. You’re just delaying the inevitable, brother.” Adira stated, staring mysteriously off into the distance. God, he  _ hated _ when she did that. He rose from his position, following her line of sight. 

“Sorry for not wanting to rush into my untimely demise.” He smiled slightly at her minuscule flinch, the most reaction he’d get out of her. He frowned shortly after, thinking of his most likely fallen brother. “Do you think-“ 

“ _ Don’t _ .” Adira snapped, squeezing her eyes shut tightly. “Don’t give yourself that kind of hope, Hector. You know just as well as I do Quirin would have given his life to protect the moonstone. It’s the only way Frederic would have gotten it.” 

“What about our nephew?” He countered, fire burning in his bright green eyes. She didn’t humor him with an answer, her own eyes turned back towards the sky. 

“The moonstone couldn’t have gotten far. If we move quickly we might be able to intercept it before it even leaves Corona.” 

Hector groaned, following her gaze towards the sky. “Please tell me your not thinking what I think you are.” 

“I think you already know the answer to that, dear brother.” Adira turned to him with the biggest shit eating grin on her face. He groaned once again. 

He prayed fate was on his side. _He was going to need all the luck in the world to make it out of this alive._


	8. Discovery

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok guys bad news, I think today might be the last day of the daily updates. I have a friend coming into town tomorrow and then unfortunately I go back to work. I hope to update at least once a week but life happens. I hope you enjoy the chapter! And quick shoutout to Quacky Ducky for telling me how to better separate my POV changes!

Horace hacked away at the branches blocking his way. He hadn’t left long after Hector and Adira. It shouldn’t be this hard to find them. To top it off one of his father’s ravens had spotted him, letting out a mocking crow before flying off into the night. If it was Hamuel he was going to roast that bird and have it for dinner whenever he got back. He hacked away with a little more fervor than necessary. There was no doubt a search party already on their way to him. He dismounted his horse, tugging on the branches that just wouldn’t give way. He kicked and pulled, but the stupid branch just wouldn’t break. He didn’t want to backtrack again. He was losing time as it was. And this stupid forest seemed to go on forever. 

“Oh come on! You stupid, stupid branch!” He gave the branch another tug leaning back with all his weight. The branch snapped, sending Horace tumbling. Except he didn’t hit the ground. He let out a scream, arms flailing in front of him trying to grab onto one of the other branches that rushed past him as the ground was rapidly approaching. He managed to grab one, his shoulder popping painfully with the sudden stop in motion, causing him to let go and tumble the rest of the way to the ground. He laid on his back for a few seconds, glaring at the pink portal that blinked out of existence. 

He groaned, popping his shoulder back in place. He glanced around his new surroundings. He was completely alone, his horse not coming through the portal with him. He was thankful he had his satchel and sword with him, but the majority of his supplies were still with his horse, wherever it was now. He hated this stupid forest. He moved to kick a nearby boulder, over estimating his swing and losing his balance and falling back to the ground conveniently on his bad shoulder. 

“Son of a _bitch_! Fuck me!” He screamed as loud as he could. It didn’t matter no one was here to hear him. 

“I think we might be able to arrange that.” Horace scrambled to his feet, drawing his sword. A woman dropped down from one of the surrounding trees, her wavy red hair flowing behind her, unbothered by the sword pointed at her. She circled him like a lion circling its prey. “So, what’s a man of your status doing all the way out here?” 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. So if you’ll excuse me, I’ll just be on my way.” He backed up slowly, stopping when a large hand was placed on his shoulder. He gulped audibly, noticing the group of thugs behind him. Maybe his parents were right, he wasn’t ready for this. They had snuck up on him and he hadn’t even noticed. There was no way he could take them all. He placed his sword on the ground and held up his hands as a sign of piece. “Look guys, I don’t want any trouble-“ 

“What do you think this is made of, weasel?” She asked, effectively cutting him off, running a finger across his cloak. “Silk? Satin, perhaps?” 

“It doesn’t matter, my lady, I think he has something much more valuable.” The man in question responded, gesturing to Horace’s hand. He quickly tried to hide it, but the woman was faster, grabbing his hand and bringing it closer to inspect. Horace inwardly groaned, regretting his oversight on keeping on his gold ring with his family’s crest on it. 

“ _Oh_ , I think we have something much more valuable than a ring.” A wide sinister smile graced her features, eyes flashing brightly as she traced the symbol on the ring. “Wrap him up boys! Daddy’s going to _love_ this.” Horace’s head exploded in pain as his world faded to black. 

***********

It had been a week since they arrived at the cabin and he was getting used to doing things that Rapunzel insisted were normal. Apparently eating and drinking were things that needed to be done everyday. He had learned that the hard way after passing out on their second day at the cabin and again yesterday. Rapunzel did her best to remind him of these things but even she couldn’t keep track of everything that was going on around her with all the chores Cassandra piled on her. It wasn’t his fault he didn’t remember to eat and drink after not having to after so long. 

He took a bite out of the apple Rapunzel had given him before sending him out of the cabin so she could clean up. He swung his feet back and forth, watching the sky from his perch in the apple tree. He frowned, noticing a steady stream of smoke rising from a ways in the forest. He climbed down, setting the apple on the ground next to the tree. He could still hear Rapunzel moving around inside. He smiled to himself, figuring he had enough time to investigate before she would be out to read to him. It was his favorite time of day. They would sit in the grass by the stream and she would teach him. It was extra special when Cassandra would join them. 

Still, he was just as curious about the smoke. It didn’t look far away, Rapunzel wouldn’t even know he had gone. Crossing the bridge he made his way towards the smoke. 

***************

Horace groaned, reaching up to rub his temples, only to be prevented by the ropes pinning his arms to his sides. He squirmed trying to loosen the ropes to no avail. The thugs were gathered not to far away, fire going despite it being the middle of the day. It seemed like they were making lunch. He glared at the back of the woman’s head, noticing his belongings spread around and his cloak around her shoulders. 

He leaned his head back against the tree, taking in his surroundings. He didn’t recognize anything. They couldn’t have gone far, but there was no grass and the trees were barren. He noticed a few black rocks not too far from where he was tied. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion. He had been nowhere near Corona, how had they gotten here so quickly? 

He smiled, noticing a knife not far from his boot. He wiggled down stretching his foot out as far as possible. The tip of his boot barely reaching the knife. He cursed under his breath, trying again. Eyes widening when the woman turned towards him. 

“Looks like we have company, boys.” She purred, standing from the log she had perched herself on. He turned his head to the side, startling when he noticed a young boy standing next to him. He really wasn’t ready for this. Not only had the thugs snuck up on him, a child had too. “What are you doing all the way out here?” 

“Kid, _run_.” Horace whispered. The boy just tilted his head to the side as if he didn’t understand. 

“Are you dumb, boy? Stalyan asked you a question.” A thug sneered. He did not like where this was going. He desperately tried to reach the knife again, only for Stalyan to kick it away from him. She held up a hand to silence the thug, stopping in front of the boy and bending down to his level. She gripped his arms tightly, nails digging into his sleeves. 

“Do your parents know you’re here?” She asked in a sickly sweet voice. 

“ _Kid_ -“ Horace tried. He was cut off by a knife being thrown into the tree he was tied to, effectively shutting him up. The boy shook his head. Horace cursed his luck, trying once again to loosen his bindings. He didn’t care what they did to him, but hurting a child was off limits. She moved one hand to grip the boy’s chin as if she were examining him. 

“Your friend still looking for kids? With eyes like these I’m sure he’d fetch a pretty penny.” She asked, looking back to the man she had previously addressed as Weasel. Horace did not need to hear the man’s answer to know the boy was in serious trouble. It seemed that he finally realized it as well. He tore his face from her grasp, turning to run. Stalyan’s grip held true and he was jerked back towards her, but not before his fingers gripped the knife that had been imbedded in the tree. He swiped it through the air, catching her arm. 

“You little _bastard_!” She screeched, retracting her hand and using it to back hand the boy. He stumbled, dropping the knife in the process, inches from Horace’s fingertips. Horace made quick work of picking it up and starting to cut through the ropes. The thugs advanced. The boy’s eyes flashed dangerously, making contact with his as they started to glow. The strange blue stripe in his hair glowed as well. The power that surged in the air was like a punch to the gut. Horace had only felt it a handful of times in his lifetime but it was an unmistakable presence. The boy possessed the moonstone. He pushed his hand forward causing black rocks to surge out of the ground, impaling some of the thugs. The rest turning and running. The glowing died down, as the boy turned to him, blood splattered across his face and flashed him a small smile before collapsing. 

Horace made quick work of his binds, heart beating out of his chest at the display he just witnessed. He had been wrong. He had been _so wrong_. The boy didn’t possess the moonstone. _He was the moonstone._


	9. Meetings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for making y’all wait! Here’s an extra long chapter! Enjoy!

Horace stared at the boy in shock, mind still processing the events that had transpired. This was not supposed to happen. This is not how this was supposed to go. The moonstone was supposed to be a stone, not a living breathing person, a child no less. He didn’t understand, he had seen the moonstone. His father had taken him to the chamber multiple times when it had still been in their possession. And he distinctly remembered it not being a human being. What had Frederic done? What had the kid done? 

He shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts and moved forward to check on the kid. He hadn’t moved since he collapsed. It was starting to become concerning. He made his way to the boy. He moved his hair away from his face, trying to get a better look. It was hard, though, with the blood splatters that covered his features. He swallowed thickly trying not to think of the bodies that hung on the rocks behind him. He couldn’t blame the child. He had been scared and had acted accordingly. It wasn’t his fault he had this power. 

“Hey, kid, can you hear me?” Horace gently shook the boy’s shoulder, hoping to get some kind of reaction. “Kid, I need you to wake up.  _ Please _ ?” 

The boy showed no signs of having heard him. He cursed under his breath. It obviously wasn’t safe to stay out in the open, but there were no signs of civilization anywhere. He also couldn’t stay here, the chances of the thugs or King Frederic’s men happening upon them were too high. His shoulder was still aching terribly. Seeing no other choice he carefully lifted the boy, cradling him close to his chest. He grit his teeth through the pain that shot through his shoulder. If it hadn’t been for his injury he would have been more concerned with how light the boy was. He took a step forward, grimacing slightly, deciding to go in the opposite direction than the thugs had run and praying that he would find somewhere to rest soon. 

****************

Rapunzel’s body ached. She had never had to do a chore in her life. And here she was working almost sun up to sun down doing miscellaneous chores Cassandra threw her way. Not that she was ungrateful, Cassandra didn’t have to take them in. She could have easily left them to fend for themselves, or worse turned them into the guard, they had technically stolen from her although unintentionally. 

She had caught on pretty quickly, learning how to cook and clean. Cassandra hadn’t been to happy the first day when she almost burned the cabin down. Her irritation clear on her face as she went over the basics on how to do the various chores. Sure Cassandra could be cold at times but she was starting to warm up to them, joining them for meals and even sometimes at the stream. 

Even then she was rarely alone, Varian was like her shadow. He helped her with smaller chores, but mostly stayed out of her way, watching her flit from place to place. She had figured he must be bored and handed him a book she found on one of the shelves. It was then she realized he didn’t know how to read, as he sat on the bed confusion evident in his features, turning the book this way and that. She really shouldn’t have been as surprised as she was, he had spent the majority of his life in a cell. She had decided then and there that she would teach him and she was doing just that. She took a break around lunch time, made some ham sandwiches, chose a book, dragged Cassandra from the room she spent so much time in, and taught Varian how to read. 

She learned a couple of things during these sessions, Cassandra spent too much time inside and had very little human interaction herself, and Varian was just as curious as he was smart. He had caught on very quickly, asking questions and becoming quite the chatterbox when something peaked his interest. Most times he was still quiet, but those moments by the stream were quickly becoming quite precious to her. 

Rapunzel smiled to herself as she finished preparing the ham sandwiches. She had sent Varian outside a little while ago, having decided he needed sun as much as Cassandra did. She balanced the sandwiches in one hand and grabbed a book in the other, using her hip to push open the door. 

“So today I was thinking we’d try something new. How does ‘Alchemy in modern times’ sound? I don’t know about you but I’m _pretty_ exc-“ Rapunzel cut off mid sentence, looking around the clearing.Varian was nowhere to be found. She tried to ignore the growing dread in the pit of her stomach. She set her items down, making her way to the apple tree hoping that he was in there. The feeling only grew when she spotted the apple she had given him previously on the ground. “Varian? Where are you?” 

She felt sick, no response following her calls. How could she have been so stupid? She knew her father was going to be looking for them and she had let him go out into the open alone. To top it off she put Cassandra in danger. What if they were found here? What would happen to Cass? She was essentially harboring fugitives. She deserved to know and she would tell her, they just needed to find Varian first. 

****************

Cassandra threw the scroll across the room in frustration. She had been pouring over the stupid thing for a week straight and nothing about it made any sense. There was no pattern, no clues in her mother’s notes about how she could have deciphered the small phrase she had. She ran a frustrated hand through her hair, glancing to her pack in the corner of the room. Tomorrow she would be traveling to Old Corona to sell the necklace and get supplies for her unwanted house guests. She was still toying with the idea of just turning them in, but if the deal went south she had no way to defend herself and she didn’t know what kind of state Mother would be in. 

She groaned, which turned into a startled yelp, as a loud, urgent knock sounded on her door. She sighed, she supposed it was that time of day already. She would never admit it aloud but she enjoyed sitting by the stream with Rapunzel and Varian. They were strange to her, Rapunzel being the human embodiment of sunshine and Varian hardly speaking and not knowing how to do much of anything. The time outside gave her time to clear her head and get her thoughts in order before diving back into the mystery of the scroll and the flower. The knock sounded again, dragging her from her thoughts. 

“I know, I know. I’m coming.” She called, knowing that if she didn’t go Rapunzel had no qualms dragging her out. She fought the small smile that curled at the corner of her lips. She swung open the door to be met with a very frantic looking Rapunzel. Before she even had the chance to question her, she was cut off. 

“Varian’s missing! I- I looked everywhere. I can’t find him!  _ Please _ , Cass we have to find him!” Rapunzel looked to be on the verge of tears, shaking slightly. 

“Slow down, what happened?” Cassandra asked, feeling increasingly uncomfortable. She didn’t do emotions. 

“I-I don’t know! He was s-supposed to wait outside for me and... and he’s not there.” This time the tears did fall with her words. “If- if my dad found him..... I- we just need to find him.” 

Cassandra’s brows furrowed. She didn’t understand. Rapunzel was the princess, surely nothing would take precedence over getting her back. Just who was this boy? “I don’t understand. You’re the princess, shouldn’t he be looking for you.” 

Rapunzel looked like she had been slapped, mouth opening and closing as if she were about to protest. Cassandra waved a hand through the air, cutting off any lame excuse the girl could come up with. “You can’t seriously think I didn’t know. Your necklace had the royal crest on it. But who is Varian?” 

“I- I’ll explain later, but we need to find him  _ now _ .” Cassandra nodded her consent. She would hold her to that explanation. And just because Rapunzel now knew that she knew who she was didn’t mean she wouldn’t turn them in if she had too. 

They made their way through the house, grabbing a knife and frying pan respectively. Once outside she scanned the area looking for clues, footprints, signs of struggle, anything. She looked beyond her small patch of land, spotting what seemed to be smoke rising in the sky. 

“There.” She nudged Rapunzel, pointing out the smoke. They took off, feet thudding against the dead grass. She hoped she wasn’t in over her head. 

Cassandra stopped suddenly, hearing a twig snap to their left. Rapunzel stopped herself just in time before she collided with the older woman. She opened her mouth to question, Cassandra putting a finger over hers to stop her. Another snap. Cassandra presses herself against the nearby tree, pushing Rapunzel behind her. She held her breath as the steps got closer and closer. Finally when they sounded close enough, she leapt from her hiding spot, placing her knife against the throat of the intruder. Rapunzel followed suit, holding her frying pan threateningly in front of her. 

“Not  _ again _ .” The man on the other side of her knife groaned. Cassandra’s eyes scanned the man over. His clothes were torn and dirty. He had a sword on his hip and a dagger strapped to his thigh, but no other supplies on him. In his arms, however, was Varian’s unconscious form. 

“What did you do to him?” Rapunzel asked, bringing the pan closer, all signs of her previous breakdown gone and a fierce snarl on her face. Cassandra made a quick mental note not to get on her bad side. 

“Whoa, calm down, Freckles.” The man said clearly unaffected by Rapunzel’s obvious threat and the knife at his throat. “ _ I _ didn’t do anything. I was attacked by a group of thugs, the kid here happened upon us and, after a lot of bravery on my part, here we are. No harm, no foul.” 

Rapunzel lowered her frying pan, seemingly satisfied with the answer. Cassandra was not. She held the knife firmly in place, ignoring the annoyed look he shot her. “Then why is he unconscious?” 

“Oh, it was just a bit too much excitement for him.” He waved off her concern, only to mumble under his breath. “It certainly didn’t have anything to do with summoning the black rocks, that’s for sure.” 

This time it was Cassandra who lowered her weapon, the rest of the conversation going in one ear and out the other. Her head spun. It wasn’t possible, there was no way Varian could do that. Only the wielder of the moonstone could do that, but it was in King Frederic’s possession, wasn’t it? She glanced at Varian, the blue streak in his hair, his bright blue eyes, his strange behavior, Rapunzel’s insistence to keep him safe. It wasn’t possible. But why, then, did it make so much sense? 

“He’s the moonstone.” Her voice was barely above a whisper, but both the man and Rapunzel turned towards her. 

“What?! No, don’t be crazy!” The man protested, trying to wave off her concerns as he had Rapunzels. One look at Rapunzel’s wide eyes told her everything she needed to know.  _ She was right. _ She was right and now her life was in danger. Harboring the princess was one thing, but the moonstone. The king would never listen to her reasoning, he had killed for the stone before. She would be hung if she was  _ lucky _ . She would never see Mother again. 

“Cass.” Rapunzel tried, reaching out to her. “Cass, I can explain.” 

She opened her mouth, then closed it. She didn’t know what to say. She didn’t know what to do. Part of her wanted to yell and scream and kick them out. Another wanted to fulfill her end of the deal, send them on their way, and no one would have to know. Thoughts swirled in her head, trying to find the right answer. The ground thudded suddenly, jarring her from her thoughts. The sound of hooves pounding against the dead grass forcing her to face reality. 

“Corinian soldiers.” The man and Rapunzel whispered in sync. Both looking to her. Rapunzel’s eyes wide, silently pleading with her. Cassandra took a deep breath. 

“This way!” She instructed, grabbing Rapunzel’s arm. She pulled them along, making sure the man had followed. 

She had chosen her  _ fate. And wether she liked it or not it was sealed.  _


	10. Together

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This ones pretty dialogue heavy. I hope everyone enjoys regardless!!

Their feet pounded harshly on the ground, lungs burning with each breath. Rapunzel was cruelly reminded of that night about a week ago. The night her life changed. The night she decided to be free. And now it seemed like that freedom wasn’t going to come so easily. She had been a fool to think it would. To make matters worse she had dragged three others into her mess. 

“I’m sorry. This- this is all my fault.” She apologized between breaths. She could feel the tears brimming in her eyes again, blurring her eyesight. 

“Now is  _ not _ the time.” Cassandra huffed, though the hand still around her arm gave a reassuring squeeze. Rapunzel nodded, giving her a small grateful smile. 

The cabin came up quickly. A guiding star in the dead of night. She almost burst into tears at the sight of it. They flew across the bridge and inside in record time, each holding their breath in hopes they hadn’t been followed. 

“Shit.” Cassandra cursed, hearing the horses slow to cross the bridge. “In the back. Find a place to hide. I’ll take care of the guards. Don’t come out until I say.” 

She shoved them into the back room, closing the door behind her just in time for a knock to sound through the house. Rapunzel looked around frantically for somewhere to hide, they were bound to check the entire house. 

“Over here.” The man whispered, placing Varian gently inside the open wardrobe. How he hadn’t woken up during all of this she had no idea, but right now she was grateful. He gestured for her to get in as well. She frowned at the tight space, they wouldn’t all fit. The man seemed to have read her mind, flashing her a grin. “Don’t worry about me. I have an idea.” 

She settled inside, giving him a quick nod, as he shut the door. She held her breath, watching through the small crack in the wardrobe. The man tore something off the wall and kicked it under the bed. He removed his weapons and tossed his jacket onto the floor. Her brows furrowed in confusion as he kicked off his boots and started to unbutton his shirt. She didn’t have much time to wonder what he was doing as Cassandra’s voice echoed through the house. 

“Don’t go in there!” Cass called, there was no panic in her voice, it was more like a warning for them. The man turned to face the door slightly, acting startled when the door swung open, blocking her view. 

“Oh hey guys. Where’s the fire?” He joked. She could practically hear Cassandra’s eyes roll. 

“Who are you?” One of the guards questioned. “You said you were alone.” 

The man chuckled, sidestepping the guards to place an arm around Cassandra’s shoulders. “Oh did she now. Don’t worry, dear, I’m not mad.” He poked her nose. Cassandra was absolutely fuming at his side. If looks could kill everyone in the room would be dead. Correction, everyone in  _ Corona _ would be dead. The man was unfazed, pulling her closer. “Not that I blame her. You did interrupt something rather important.” 

He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, causing one of the guards to clear his throat awkwardly and another to stiffen. Rapunzel covered her mouth, suppressing a chuckle at the man’s implication. It wasn’t hard to guess what he was implying. Him being half dressed, the flush on their cheeks, and the slight gleam of sweat. 

“Right.” One of the guards said, glancing around the room. He nodded, gesturing for the guards to file out. Rapunzel let out the breath she had been holding, relaxing against the back of the wardrobe. It was of course at that moment that Varian started to stir. He groaned, reaching a hand up to rub at his eyes. She quickly covered his mouth, shushing him as calmly and quietly as possible, gesturing to the commotion outside the door. He looked confused, but stopped his movements. The guard stopped, turning slightly. “What was that?” 

Cassandra elbowed the man in his side, causing him to groan and release her from his grip. “Sorry guys, I must’ve had a bad lunch.” The man explained clutching his stomach. The guard didn’t look like he believed him, giving the room another glance. Seeing nothing he left, eyeing them suspiciously. They stayed frozen in place, until the horses were heard galloping away. Rapunzel relaxed again, closing her eyes for a moment. Cassandra’s voice tore her from her brief moment of peace. 

“If you  _ ever _ touch me again, I  _ will _ cut your dick off.” She threatened, jabbing an accusing finger at his chest. 

“No ‘thank you’. No ‘how smart of you, Horace, how ever did you come up with such a brilliant plan on the spot’.” Horace, apparently, rolled his eyes and tossed his head back, his imitation of Cassandra. 

Rapunzel pushed the wardrobe open, climbing out, then helping Varian. “It may have been a bit unconventional, but it did work.” She offered them a small smile, which faltered when Cassandra turned to face her. 

“Explain, now. All three of you.” Cassandra hissed, crossing her arms across her chest, and fixing them with a hard glare. They all shifted awkwardly, looking anywhere but at Cassandra. Horace cleared his throat, taking a small step forward. 

“Guess I’ll go first. I’m Horace. I’m from the kingdom of Selene. After that little light show the other night, I was sent to retrieve the moonstone. And that’s it. That’s my story.” He took a small step back, rubbing the back of his neck. 

Rapunzel stepped forward, smiling awkwardly. “I’m Rapunzel, princess of Corona. I, uh, I ran away from home after my dad.... after he- I left and I took Varian with me to get back at him.” She blinked tears from her eyes, trying not to look at the pitying looks Horace and Cassandra shot her. Varian placed a hand on her arm. She chuckled softly, taking his hand in hers. “Um, this is Varian and he’s the moonstone.” 

“Yeah, but  _ how _ ?” Horace questioned, moving to sit on the edge of the bed. He sighed at their blank looks. “Look, I grew up with tales about the moonstone. The thing is it was never a person, it’s always been as it’s named. A stone. Hell, I’ve seen it in person. So how did  _ it _ , get to be  _ you _ ?” 

Rapunzel shrugged. “I don’t know. One day he was brought in and placed in the dungeons. I never asked.” 

Horace sighed, running a hand down his face. Cassandra glanced between them, bending down in front of Varian, taking his free hand in hers. “Do you remember anything? From before?” 

He nodded slowly, glancing up at Rapunzel as if asking for permission. Rapunzel nodded, rubbing comforting circles on his back. “It’s okay, take your time.” She soothed, watching as his eyes darted about, gathering his thoughts. 

“My D-dad.” Varian took a shaky breath, tears already gathering in his eyes. His gaze focused on the floor. “He- he had the stone. I don’t know, I- I don’t remember, he made it into a liquid.” He hiccuped, shaking as tears started to fall. “There we’re guards after us. They- they wanted it, but dad, he m-made me drink it. I didn’t want to, I- I didn’t want  _ this _ .” 

“Fuck.” Horace whispered, watching as the boy buried his face in Rapunzel’s shoulder, sobs wracking his body. Rapunzel’s own eyes were glassy with tears as she continued to rub circles on his back. The sobs eventually stopped, leaving him exhausted and shaking in her arms. 

“What now?” Rapunzel asked, feeling suddenly very uncertain about the future. 

“I guess we’ll figure it out.” Horace said, placing an arm around Rapunzel and Varian. 

“Together.” Cassandra joined them, taking her hand comfortingly. 

Rapunzel smiled, feeling safe in the arms of her new friends.  _ She felt like there was nothing they couldn’t do with them by her side.  _


	11. Revelations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was supposed to go so different but Cass and Varian had other plans! Also if anyone has any ideas for a name for the captain and momma fitz I need some please! I can’t think of any that fit lol! Enjoy the chapter!

They had gathered awkwardly in the front of the cabin. Now that their emotions had died down, there was nothing but awkward silence. On one bed Horace reclined, head resting against the wall. On the other Rapunzel sat up straight, while Varian was spread across the bed his head in her lap. Her fingers absentmindedly running through his hair. Cassandra opted to stand by the door, nursing a cup of tea in her hands. 

“I think it’s obvious we can’t stay here.” Cassandra started, deciding it better to address the situation head on instead of beating around the bush. Rapunzel stiffened, stopping her previous motions. 

“Where will we go?” She asked, voice barely above a whisper. 

“Selene.” Horace answered, deciding to continue when Cassandra raised an eyebrow and Rapunzel looked at him with wide eyes. “You’ll be safe from King Frederic and we have vast knowledge about the moonstone. Someone’s bound to know how to separate it from the kid.” 

Varian flinched, squeezing his eyes shut for a second. “What about dad?” He asked, glancing up at Rapunzel. 

“I did promise that we’d go back to the castle to get him.” She shrugged sheepishly. 

“No. No way. I don’t know if you have realized but we’re not exactly  _ ‘simpatico’ _ with the kingdom at the moment.” Horace protested. Rapunzel fixed him with a hard glare, obviously not budging on the matter. He threw his hands up in defeat. “Unbelievable. Please tell me you have more sense?” 

He turned towards Cassandra, silently begging her to agree with him. She glanced to the tea in her hands. It definitely wasn’t the smartest to go charging into the castle, but Rapunzel was bound to know her way around so they could effectively sneak in and out. Plus she would be able to find Mother. She tapped the side of her cup, smiling slightly as she made her decision. “My mother is at the castle. If we go can we get her too?” 

Rapunzel nodded fervently, clasping her hands together. “Of course! Just out of curiosity, who is your mother? I know most of the staff. We’ll be able to locate her better if I recognize her.” 

She ignored Horace’s eye roll, turning her attention fully to Rapunzel. “Her name is Gothel. She was summoned by your dad some years ago. She still hasn’t returned.” 

“Gothel?” Rapunzel repeated, paling slightly, fingers tightening their grip in Varian’s hair. She shifted uncomfortably, not quite meeting Cassandra’s eyes. “Cass, I- I’m sorry, but Gothel’s dead.” 

Cassandra shook her head. It couldn’t be true, it couldn’t be. Her grip tightened around her cup, vision blurring. “That’s not true. It- it cant be.  _ You’re lying.” _ She was vaguely aware of Horace standing from the bed and Varian moving to sit in front of Rapunzel. 

“I’m sorry, Cass, but I’m not. I was at her execution.” Rapunzel tried, reaching out to her. 

“No that’s not- it’s not possible.” The cup shattered in her grip, glass cutting into the skin of her hands. “It doesn’t make sense. She- she’s a powerful sorceress. She wouldn’t just... she couldn’t. She said she’d be back.” 

Cassandra’s eyes darted around the room, finally settling on Varian. Her anger rose in her chest. “This is your fault. She left because the king needed something that would hold the moonstone. She died because of you. You killed her.” 

“Cass-“ Rapunzel started. 

“You be quiet! You’re just as bad. Did you ever think to help anyone but yourself? You dragged me into this mess. The same mess Mother died for apparently.” 

“Cassandra, enough-“ Horace warned, placing himself between Cassandra and Varian and Rapunzel. 

“Oh you think you’re blameless. Your kingdom sent that god forsaken  _ thing _ out into the world. Better it be someone else’s problem.” Cassandra was seething, shaking with an anger she didn’t know she possessed. 

“You think we didn’t lose people too. My kingdom is falling apart at the seems. My people are scared. Families have been torn apart everywhere because of Fredric. One of  _ my _ best knights,  _ his father _ , gave his life to protect his kingdom. And all you can think about is you. Well I have news for you, Cassandra, this is bigger than you. This is bigger than all of us. So pull your head out of  _ your fucking ass _ and get your priorities straight.” Horace seethed, matching Cassandra’s anger. 

Her eyes widened as if she had been slapped before steeling once again. “You’re right.” She said, tone cool and eyes even colder. “This isn’t my problem. So get out of my house.” 

“Cass,  _ please _ -“ Rapunzel tried once more, desperation in her voice. 

_ “ Get out  _ of my fucking house or I  swear to the sun in the fucking sky  _ I will  _ go get the guards.” Cassandra threatened, shaking furiously. There were no protests this time, the group slowly exited her house. She slammed the door shut behind them, sliding to the floor. She hugged her knees to her chest, sobbing freely. 

**************

Varian felt sick. Everything had happened so quickly. Everything had fallen apart. He had just started feeling like everything was going to be okay. Then he had to go and ruin it. If he hadn’t left the guards probably would have never found them. They would still be happily living with Cassandra and she wouldn’t be in the pain she was in now. Part of him wanted to run back in and wrap her in a hug, like Rapunzel had done so many times for him. The other part wanted to get as far away from her as possible. He wouldn’t deny the things she said hurt. The things she said were true. Everything was his fault. He was a curse to everyone around him. There was something that Horace said that captured his attention, however. He had mentioned his dad. He had mentioned he had died and he needed to know the truth. 

“Is my dad dead?” He asked, voice wavering slightly. Rapunzel froze, dropping the apple she had picked from the tree. Horace’s back stiffened, grip tightening on the satchel he was holding open for Rapunzel to place the apples in. He put the satchel down, bending down to Varian’s level and placing his hands on his shoulders. 

“Listen, kid, I knew your father. He was a brave knight. There’s no way he would have given up without a fight. But I also don’t think that Frederic had any reason to keep him around after he got what he wanted. I’m sorry.” Horace explained, trying to be gentler than he had with Cassandra. Varian scanned his face, looking for any hint of a lie. He turned to Rapunzel, the same question in his eyes. 

“Varian, I- I don’t know if he’s alive or not. I never saw him.” She said honestly, jumping down from the tree and making her way over to them. 

“But- but you said he was there. Y-you said that we could get him out. Why would you lie?” Varian questioned, heart rate increasing with the thought that he might actually be alone. That the one hope he held onto might be a lie. 

“I’m sorry. I just said what my dad told me. I didn’t think- I didn’t think he was lying to me.” She reached out, he took a step back. 

“You promised!” He was angry, he was hurt. He wanted it to be a lie, but somewhere deep down he knew it wasn’t. He sunk to the ground, wrapping his arms around himself, fresh sobs wracking his body. “You p-promised.” 

“Varian-“ Rapunzel reached out again, only to be pulled back by Horace as black rocks sprouted from the ground. Varian scrambled back, eyes wide in fear. Rapunzel’s expression mimicking his own. He had done that. She was scared. She was scared of him. He was a danger. He was a monster. Cassandra’s mother had died because of him. His own father had died because of him. He needed to get away before he hurt anyone else. He couldn’t hurt anyone else. 

“I’m sorry.” Varian apologized, turning and running from the cabin. He vaguely heard Rapunzel and Horace call out to him, but he couldn’t go back, he wouldn’t. Tears blurred his vision. He didn’t know where he was going. It didn’t matter. Just as long everyone else was safe. His lungs burned, still he kept going. Rain had started to fall from the sky, blurring his vision further, the ground turning to mush under his feet. He stumbled, falling to the muddy ground. He picked himself back up, continuing his mad sprint. 

He chanced a glance back, checking to see if anyone followed. A part of him wished they had. They would comfort him, convince him to come back. They could be happy. But they couldn’t, could they? Not with him. He was a ticking time bomb and they were bound to get caught in the explosion. He turned his head back to look in front of him, eyes widening at the cliff in front of him. He tried to stop, but the ground was too slick. He slid and tumbled over edge. The cliff wasn’t large per say, it still hurt as he tumbled down, only coming to a stop as his head cracked sickeningly against a tree trunk. 

His vision danced with spots, black swallowing the edges. He felt strangely at peace.  _ Maybe this was for the best. He could finally be with his father. _


	12. Help

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it fam, the last daily update. Unfortunately I return to work today, so updates won’t be as frequent. I hope this is an acceptable end to the story because the finale is probably going to kill me on Sunday! Enjoy!

The hot air ballon jerked violently. Adira, however, was unfazed, expertly steering it to match the air currents and keep them on track to their destination. Hector, on the other hand, gripped the edge of the basket in a death grip, occasionally shooting a glare at his sister. 

“You need to land this balloon,  _ now.”  _ He shouted, although he doubted she could hear him over the howling wind. 

“Where’s your sense of adventure, brother?” Adira shouted back, taking them higher. 

“Where’s your sense of self preservation, sister?” He shot back, gripping the basket tighter when it swayed heavily to the right.Based on Adira’s laugh it was done on purpose, the rain smearing her red face paint to look more like blood. She truly looked crazy. He chanced a look over the edge, spotting something at the bottom of a small cliff. His eyes widening upon the realization that it seemed to be a child. 

“Adira, there’s a child down there.” He shouted over the rain. He squinted, they didn’t seem to be moving. “I think they might be injured.” 

“Does the child have the moonstone?” She asked, fixing him with a pointed glare. 

“No.” Hector grit out, rolling his eyes. A child possessing the moonstone, that was ridiculous. 

“Then it’s not our problem.” She responded, eyes softening for a moment before returning to their steely nature. 

“But-“

_ “It’s not our problem.” _ She ground out, closing her eyes. As much as she hated it, they just didn’t have the time. Their mission was of the upmost importance, they couldn’t waste any time. 

“Adira!” Hector shouted, tearing her from her thoughts. She opened her eyes, reacting quickly to avoid the oncoming trees. She wasn’t fast enough, basket crashing harshly against the treetops. 

“Brace yourself!” She shouted back, moving to grip the side of the basket as their balloon rapidly descended, crashing through the branches. 

************

Rapunzel ran like she never ran before. And that was saying something as it seemed to be all she was doing as of late. Horace was just slightly ahead of her, his longer legs giving him an advantage. The fact that he had actual shoes might be helping him as well. Her feet slipped with every step she took on the muddy ground, the pouring rain doing her no favors. Her lungs burned with the exertion. She had given up calling for Varian sometime ago, there was no way he’d be able to hear over the wind and rain anyways. 

She couldn’t believe she had messed up so bad. Maybe she should have been gentler with Cassandra. Maybe she wouldn’t have gotten so upset. And Varian, she should have known she couldn’t keep her promise. Even if his father was still alive it would be close to impossible to get him back. She had just wanted everything to work out, but it seemed like the whole world was against her. Every time she thought she was doing right she was knocked back down, screwing something else up. Maybe she never should have left. 

“Don’t think like that.” Horace stated suddenly. Rapunzel’s face flushed, not realizing she had spoken the last bit out loud. “I know things can seem hopeless at times, but you have to stay strong. You saved Varian’s life. He’s just scared and hurting right now, but we’ll find him and help. And Cassandra, she’s grieving. It doesn’t give her the right to say what she did, but it’s not your fault. You can’t blame yourself for other people’s actions.” 

Rapunzel smiled, small as it was. “Thank you.” She wasn’t sure if he heard her over the rain, but he flashed a smile at her over his shoulder, so she assumed he had. Her eyes widened, grabbing his arm just before he plummeted off the side of the cliff. It wasn’t very long fall, it still looked like it would be quite painful nonetheless. 

“Look!” She pointed, by a tree at the bottom was a familiar looking form. 

“Let’s look for a safer way down.” Horace recommended. A recommendation which was promptly ignored as Rapunzel sat down, scooting to the edge and propelled herself down, letting gravity and the mud do its job. She skidded to a stop not far from Varian, Horace following suit. 

“Varian!” She called, reaching out to pull him into her arms. She wanted nothing more than to hold the boy close and take away all his worries. She retracted her hands just as they were about to make contact, noticing blood mixing with the water and mud by his head. Her heart felt like it was in her throat. She wanted to look away, but she couldn’t. She couldn’t move, she couldn’t do anything. 

Luckily, Horace did not have the same problem. After his initial shock he placed his trembling fingers to the boy’s neck, checking for a pulse. He breathed out a sigh of relief. “He’s going to be okay, but we need to find help.” He comforted, placing a hand on Rapunzel’s shoulder. He was about to say more when a voice called out. 

“Hello? Is somebody out there?” The voice was distinctly male, and by the sound of it fairly close by. As a matter of fact, Rapunzel could see the glow of their lantern not far from them. She shared a look with Horace, silently asking him if they should make themselves known. He nodded and it was all the approval she needed. 

“Over here! Help us!” She called back, waving her arms so he could see. The man came into view. He had a strong build, but not overly muscular, brown hair that seemed to be receding slightly and a mustache to match. He also had a dark cloak draped around his shoulders, likely because of the rain. Before he even had a chance to question the scene in front of him, Rapunzel started to explain. “Please, help. My- my brother he fell down that cliff and hit his head. I don’t know what to do.” 

“Can you move him?” He asked looking to Horace and handing his cloak to Rapunzel. Horace nodded in response and Rapunzel looked confused at the cloak. “It will do you no good to catch a cold.” He explained, as Rapunzel hesitantly placed it around her shoulders. He gave her a brief nod and turned back to Horace. 

“You’re going to lift him slowly, while I support his head. There’s going to be a lot of blood, but don’t be alarmed, head injuries usually look worse than they are.” He handed his lantern to Rapunzel. “You’re going to lead the way. Go straight and you’ll see a path. It’s about a ten minute walk to Old Corona.” His voice had a commanding tone to it, although it was in no way harsh. She stayed just slightly ahead of them, making sure they had enough light to see where they were going and she had enough time to clear any obstacles in their path. The walk was agonizingly slow. The man keeping their pace as slow and steady as possible, to not jostle the boy more than necessary. His hands propping Varian’s head with a cloth underneath to stop the bleeding. 

“This first house. The door should be unlocked.” The man gestured with his head to the large fortress like house that was at the head of the village. 

Rapunzel gaped in awe. The village was small, but beautiful. Shops and houses lined the streets, and while no one was currently at them she could tell it was always lively and busy. It was everything the main isle of Corona wasn’t. It looked like the Corona she only heard about in tales. She tore her eyes from it focusing on the more important task at hand. She lead them up the stairs and held the door open for the boys to get through. The house itself wasn’t any less impressive. There was already a fire roaring in the massive fireplace. A couch was placed in front, which is where they set Varian down. The walls were covered in various pieces of armor and weapons. 

“Do you mind putting on some tea?” The man asked, pulling Rapunzel out of her trance. She startled slightly, giving a curt nod. She made her way into the kitchen and started the tea. 

“This is quite the collection you’ve got here.” Horace commented, letting out a low whistle. 

The man chuckled from his position on the floor in front of the couch. He had already started cleaning Varian up. When he had gotten the water and cloths she didn’t know. “I used to be Captain of the guard, once upon a time.” 

“What changed?” Horace asked, eyeing a medal nearby. The man tensed slightly, not stopping his work. 

“The king did.” He took a deep breath before continuing. “Once the queen died, he started enforcing rules I just couldn’t get behind. But I couldn’t abandon my people. I turned in my helmet and moved out here. It’s a shadow of what Corona used to be. We make do, the people are happier here.” 

“That’s quite the story, Cap.” Horace said, placing the medal back on the mantle. 

“Please, I haven’t gone by that in years.” The man chuckled, smile barley visible under his mustache. “Call me Elliott.” 

“Thank you, Elliott.” Rapunzel said, handing the men a cup of tea each. 

“It’s no problem, really. Your mother was one of my dearest friends.” Elliott responded. She startled slightly, eyes widening a hair. He chuckled again. “Don’t worry, Princess, I won’t tell anyone. You can stay here as long as you need.” 

“Thank you. Thank you, truly.” Rapunzel blinked rapidly trying not to let her emotions get the better of her. 

Elliott stood, gathering his things and giving her a small nod. “The boy will be okay. I will stay down here with him to make sure his condition is stable. Now let’s get the two of you cleaned up. How does a bath sound?” 

“That sounds wonderful.” Rapunzel exclaimed, clapping her hands together. 

“I’ll draw the bath, then.” He left the room, leaving Rapunzel and Horace alone. Her face fell, all of the emotions of the day catching up with her. 

“Hey, Freckles, it’s going to be okay. We’re going to get through this. We’re going to be stronger for it. Okay?” Horace soothed, pulling her into a hug. She didn’t even realize she had been crying until she was pressed firmly against his chest, sobs wracking her body. He rubbed soothing circles on her back, humming softly as he did so. 

She laughed despite herself, as she allowed herself to be held and comforted. She cried and cried, letting out all of her previously bottled emotions. She felt better.  _She felt like things might actually be okay. Things might actually work out_. 


	13. Plans

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok y’all I’m a liar apparently. Also this chapter is slightly shorter and has a different end then what I’ve been doing. Enjoy!!!

Stalyan’s boots echoed loudly off the marble walls as she made her way down the endless hall. She tossed the ring in her hand up and down as she did so, lips curled into a sinister smirk. “You know, I was quite surprised when you agreed to an audience with me.” She said, voice echoing with her steps. 

“You can imagine my hesitance, but you did claim to have something rather interesting.” King Frederic responded, tapping his finger impatiently on the arm of his throne. 

“Oh I have more than that. I have information, which we both know is priceless.” She tossed the ring to the king. He swiftly snatched it out of the air, bringing it close to inspect it. She settled herself comfortably on the late queens throne, propping her feet on the arm of Frederic’s throne. “Lucky for you, Daddy’s willing to share.” 

*******************

Cassandra didn’t know how long she stayed at the door. It didn’t matter in the end. Everything she knew was a lie. Everything she believed in was false. Mother was dead, she had no purpose, no destiny. The rain eventually settled to a soft pitter patter against the roof. She stood, forcing herself up on shaky feet. She needed to get out of here. Not only was it no longer safe, she couldn’t take the constant reminders of her mother. But she also didn’t want to leave  because it reminded her so much of her mother. 

She made her way to Mother’s chambers and down to collect her flower. She gathered a few of the notes and placed the items into the pack she already had prepared. She went to Mother’s closet, changing into one of her red velvet dresses. She tied her hair up in the red ribbon she always kept in hand, checking her reflection in the mirror. She smiled sadly, squinting when something shined in her eyes. She turned, noticing Rapunzel’s necklace on the desk. She was hit with a sudden wave of guilt. Maybe she had made a mistake. She had acted rashly and out of spite. It was too late now, though. The group likely long gone. 

She placed the necklace in her pack, hoping she might be able to return it one day. She regretted her words to the princess and Varian. Neither of them were to blame for her mother’s demise. She did not, however, regret her words to Horace. The moonstone should have never been their problem in the first place. She hoisted her pack off the floor, making her way to the front of the cabin. Once there she lit a match and tossed it to the ground. She watched from outside as the flames engulfed her home, a silent funeral for her mother. She allowed a few tears to flow down her cheeks before starting her trek to Old Corona. 

****************** 

_ He was floating. Well not really, he was suspended in the air, but he wasn’t falling either. Above him the moon was high in the sky, the sun setting, perhaps rising he couldn’t tell, off to his side. The stars twinkled below his feet. He took a hesitant step forward, then another. He wasn’t sure where he was going or if there was anywhere to go, but he felt better just knowing he was moving. He didn’t know how long he walked, time meant nothing, there was no direction. He eventually spotted someone in the distance. The closer he got the more apparent it was that the figure was a girl. It was hard to tell for certain, as they were facing the sun, but they seemed familiar somehow. She reached out cupping the sun in her hands, lighting her features so he could see her face.  _

_ “Rapunzel!” He shouted enthusiastically, taking an alarmed step back when his words never left his mouth, echoing cruelly in his head. The words sent an immense amount of pain pulsing to the back of his head, making the world spin. He fell through the sky, calling out her name as she was engulfed by the blinding light. He reached out for something, anything, to slow his descent.  _

_ He stopped abruptly in front of a large door. He pushed it open, walking into a large chamber, which held the moonstone at the other end.  _

__“_ The moonstone is no longer safe here. We must act quickly before Frederic comes for it.” A large man with a crown on his head stated, turning to face three others. One was a woman with white hair and red face paint. Another was a man with the blackest hair he had ever seen and the greenest eyes to match. And the third he recognized. _

_ “Dad!” He shouted sprinting forward to wrap his arms around his father, tears brimming in his eyes. He stumbled, going straight through his father, he didn’t even react. Confusion graced his features, freezing altogether as his father spoke.  _

_ “I will protect the stone, my king. It is my fault Frederic knows about it in the first place.” His dad kneeled, taking the stone as the King placed it in a container and then in his hands. He reached out trying to stop his father, only to start plummeting again. He let his tears fall as he desperately tried to make his way back to his father.  _

_ When he stopped, this time it was in a meadow. The tall grass tickled his legs, the slight breeze ruffling his hair. A woman sat at the top of the hill, her brown hair flowing down her back. She turned to face him smiling as she did so. Something about her seeming familiar, but not in the way Rapunzel had. He startled when a man walked through him, a man he easily recognized as King Frederic.  _

_ “It’s a girl.” The woman spoke, a hand stroking her enlarged belly. Frederic chuckled, placing a soft kiss in her hair.  _

_ “How do you know?”  _

_ She smiled brightly. “I just do. She’s going to shine as bright as the sun.”  _

_ He was falling again, through the sky, through the stars, and the moon, and the sun. The words chasing him as he went.  _

_ “Do you have any names picked out?”  _

_ Her laugh echoed all around. “You know I do.  _

_ What  _

_ Do  _

_ You  _

_ Think  _

_ Of  _

_ Rapunzel?”  _


	14. Past

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please have this flashback chapter as we all cry over the finale.

Arianna hummed, running her brush through her long brown hair. She twirled, eventually stopping in front of her full length mirror. She smiled brightly, hand resting gently over the barely visible bump of her stomach. 

“Congratulations, your majesty.” Her smile widened, turning to face the man kneeling in her doorway. 

“Oh, Quirin, please. I think we know each other well enough to skip the formalities.” She chuckled, pulling the much larger man to his feet. She had grown close to him in the short time he had been in her kingdom. Even though they were close to the same age, he seemed infinitely wiser. She admired him, his skill set nothing like she had seen in all of Corona. But it made sense she supposed, each kingdom favoring different skills over others. 

“Apologies, Arianna, old habits die hard I suppose.” She chuckled into her hand. She was never able to break him out of his formal nature. He cleared his throat, gaining her full attention once again. “I have just come to say my goodbyes. We leave for Selene first thing in the morning.” 

“Do be safe. If there’s anyone I trust to return my husband safely to me, it’s you.” While her words were formal, her actions were anything but. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him in close. She hadn’t always been a royal, so she allowed herself to break small rules such as formality every once in a while. He left without another word and perhaps if she had known what the future held she would have said more. 

*********************

The boy let out a squeal of delight as his mother picked him up, tossing him up slightly in the air. His laughter was like music to her ears. 

“Again! Again!” Her almost five year old demanded, jumping up and down excitedly. She was about to relent when her husband entered the room. 

“Minerva, dear, King Frederic has arrived.” He stated simply, ruffling his son’s hair. He giggled, slapping his father’s hand away. 

“We will be right out.” She turned to her son, bending down to meet his curious brown eyes. “Horace, I need you to be on your best behavior. The king is here to discuss something very important. Do you understand?” 

The boy nodded fervently. “Yes, mama.” He stood straighter, puffing out his chest. She laughed, as he made his way down the hall. It didn’t last long, however, as soon as they got outside to wait for the carriage the boy was fidgeting with the hem of his shirt. The carriage made its way around the corner, stopping in front of the steps they were standing on. She watched her son’s eyes light up at the sight of Quirin. She placed a calming hand on his shoulder, causing him to immediately regain his stiff posture. 

After the required pleasantries and making sure the King was settled for the night, she sat comfortably in the library her son on her lap. Her moment of peace didn’t last long, as the door to the library opened and the boy immediately shot to his feet. 

“Quirin!” Horace shouted, launching himself into the large man’s arms. Quirin didn’t miss a beat, easily swinging the boy up to sit on his shoulders. “I missed you! Adira doesn’t do the voices when she reads to me and Hector  _ never _ lets me win at checkers!” 

“I missed you too, my prince.” He responded, laughing loudly as Horace wrapped his arms around his neck in an awkward hug. Minerva couldn’t help but smile at the exchange. She loved all her citizens as family and to see her son carrying on that same trait made her beyond happy. 

“Come now, dear. I’m sure Quirin is tired and it’s well past your bedtime.” She chided. Her son pouted, but didn’t protest, as they made their way down the hall to his bedroom. She turned her attention to her knight. “I’m assuming everything went well in Corona.” 

“I’ll spare you all the boring details, but Queen Arianna believes the baby will be a girl.” He started, sparing her a glance to gauge her reaction. 

Minerva hummed, thoughts turning over in her head. “So that’s why Frederic agreed to meet. Do you think he wishes to secure an alliance with a betrothal?” 

“He stated as much.” Quirin nodded. “If I may be so bold, my queen, I do believe it would be beneficial to both kingdoms. The moonstones power grows stronger everyday. If something were to go amiss our people would have somewhere to go.” 

She hummed again. It was true an alliance would benefit them, probably more than Corona, she hated the idea of a betrothal. It guaranteed a more solid alliance, but the margin for something to go wrong was also very high. She watched as Quirin tucked in her son, a small smile on her lips. Perhaps he was right a betrothal would give her people a safe place to turn to should the worst happen. She would talk to Edmund, although she was sure Quirin already had. 

They exited the room, smile still on her face. “You’re so good with him. When do you plan on having your own?” He chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. Her smile grew, Quirin always had been the most traditional of the knights, wanting to settle down and raise a family eventually. 

“Hopefully soon. If everything goes according to plan.” He responded, pulling a ring out of his vest. 

“Oh, it’s beautiful! She’s certainly going to say yes!” She squealed, plucking the ring from his hand and inspecting it closely. She wrapped her knight in a tight hug, feeling hopeful for the future. 

******************

Frederic was having second thoughts. He had been the one to suggest a betrothal, but now it seemed so sudden. The reality of the situation weighing heavy on his shoulders. He wasn’t sure he was ready to give up his daughter before he even had the chance to meet her. What if she wasn’t safe? What if she couldn’t be protected? What if she wasn’t happy? He wished Arianna was here. She was so much better at these things than him. He hesitated a second longer before knocking on the door in front of him. 

Quirin answered the door, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Frederic felt immediately guilty, but it was too late to back out now. The other man straightened immediately upon realizing who was at the door. “Your majesty, pardon my appearance I was not expecting a visit from you.” 

Frederic waved him off. “Nonsense. It is I who should apologize, but I could not sleep and needed someone I can trust to talk to.” 

“I am flattered you think so highly of me, but could it not wait until the morning?” Quirin asked, finding the kings visit highly unusual. 

“Forgive me. I am just having a bit of trouble with this betrothal business. I worry for my daughter’s safety.” He explained, running a frustrated hand down his face. “Isn’t it ridiculous? She isn’t even born yet and I’m already fretting over her.” 

Quirin chuckled softly, stepping out of the room and quietly shutting the door behind him. “Not at all, your majesty. It is only natural for a parent to worry about their child.” He paused, looking around as if contemplating something, before giving a slight nod. “Allow me to ease your mind.” 

Frederic was sure the confusion was clear on his face as he allowed Quirin to lead him down a series of winding halls, eventually stopping in front of a set of large doors. Quirin opened them with practiced ease, entering a large chamber that held nothing but a glowing rock at the far end. He must have looked like a fish, mouth hanging open slightly still confused, but entranced by the beauty of the stone. They didn’t get any closer, the power coming from the stone intoxicating even from their current distance. 

“This is the moonstone.” Quirin stated, startling Frederic out of his thoughts. “It has great power. It can be used for good or evil. It’s the ruler of Selene’s job to protect it and keep it safe from anyone who might seek the power for themselves. Prince Horace will fill this role one day. He will be trained, has been trained, to protect it his whole life. He  _ will _ protect the stone, and he  _ will _ protect your daughter.” 

No other words were said between the two, no other words were needed. The following day the deal was struck and Frederic started his journey home. 

******************

She wasn’t sure when it started but something just didn’t feel right. Her morning sickness reached near unmanageable levels and she was in constant pain, small tasks needing a great effort to complete. At some point she had given up trying to do anything, reduced to nothing more than a glorified lump on her bed. Then came the news. A part of her expected as much. She knew this wasn’t natural, but she had hoped against hope that she might get to meet her child. 

Frederic became frantic, following every lead from herbal medicines to mythical flowers, in hopes that she might be saved. But she knew. There was no way. She wasn’t strong enough, her child would be. She would live on for the both of them. 

_ And she would shine brighter than the sun. _


	15. Visions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I’ve taken some liberties with the moonstones abilities. That being said Varian has been very scared as of late. There’s a lot of blood mentioned in this chapter as a warning in case it makes anyone queasy! Enjoy!!

_ Rapunzel wasn’t sure where she was. She didn’t feel scared or alarmed. She was at peace. The sun was shining in front of her. She could feel it’s warmth, it’s welcoming nature. There was no heat, no need to cover her eyes. It entranced her, beckoned her, coaxing her to come closer. So she did. The closer she got the smaller the sun became until it was no more than the size of a ball. She cupped it in her hands, reveling in its beauty.  _

_“Rapunzel!” She startled at her name being called. It came from everywhere and nowhere at the same time. It echoed all around her and inside her mind. It almost sounded like- She dropped the sun as it exploded in a blinding light, engulfing her, surrounding her, becoming her._

_ It faded almost as soon as it started. She was standing in a meadow. The grass was dead, trees barren, ash fell all around. She could smell smoke thick in the air, though she saw no fire. Horace stood on her right and Cassandra on her left. Both looked forward with teeth grit and determination in their eyes. She followed their gaze to the hilltop. Her father stood proud, sneering down at them. Varian was at his side, on his knees, one arm supporting his weight and the other wrapped around his middle, blood dripping from between his fingers. There was a familiar shackle around his neck, but this time her father held the other end of the chain, like Varian was some kind of animal, a pet. She wanted to scream, to run, to get him to stop. Before she could even process what was happening her father grabbed a fistful of Varian’s hair, yanking his head up roughly. His body shook as his hair and eyes started to glow, tears streaming down his face.  _

_ “Crescent high above....”  _

_ “Rapunzel!”  _

Her eyes shot open, trembling as she brought her knees to her chest. She took a steadying breath, allowing herself a moment to gather her thoughts. It had been such a strange dream, but it felt so real. If she focused she could still feel the heat of the sun warming her hands. She looked out the window, moon high in the sky. It was beautiful, something about it seeming familiar, like a friend. Feeling more awake than before, she kicked the blankets off. She wouldn’t be getting anymore sleep tonight. She quietly made her way down the stairs, careful to avoid any squeaky floorboards. A cup of tea sounded amazing right now, or perhaps if there was any some hot cocoa would be heavenly. 

She froze, stopping just short of entering the main area of the house. The fire was still going strong, but she could make out Elliott’s voice. It sounded like he was speaking to someone. Her heart skipped a beat. Was Varian awake? She hesitated, he had run from her. Maybe it was best she wait until he had a bit more rest before trying to talk to him. 

“Shhh it’s okay, you’re okay..... Take it slow....... Small sips... There you go.... Keep it up, I’ll be right back.” Elliott’s voice was a whisper, barely heard over the crackling fire. She could make out Varian’s form, shaking as he held a cup, of what she assumed was water, in his hands. The former captain startled slightly noticing Rapunzel standing in the doorway. She mouthed a quick apology as he made his way over, gesturing for her to follow him. She complied, letting him lead them to a linen closet down the hall. He pulled a thick blanket from within, leaning against the door for a moment before straightening back up. 

“I am going to see if the doctor can make a house visit tomorrow.” He started, running a tired hand down his face. “The boy has a fever. He’s almost completely incoherent. He keeps babbling about the sun, and you, and the moon. I fear if he doesn’t get real help he may take a turn for the worse.” 

“Are you sure?” She asked, mind briefly wandering back to her dream. Varian on his knees, blood coating his side, the pain evident in his features. Her father looming above her, sword pointed to her chest. Cassandra dead at her feet, a gaping hole in her chest. Horace laying across her, a last ditch effort, hands covered in blood as he desperately tried to keep it from spilling out from the cut across his neck. But she hadn’t dreamt that, had she? And still it flashed across her mind as though she had, the images so real. She blinked rapidly, trying to clear her head. 

“Princess, are you alright?” Elliott asked, hand hovering uncertainly over her shoulder. 

She nodded fervently, pretending to have heard what he had said previously. “Oh yeah me? I’m fine!” She waved her hand through the air, snatching the blanket from his hands. “I’m not tired anymore. Why don’t you get some sleep and I’ll take it from here?” 

She plastered a wide smile on her face, hoping it was convincing. It must of been, or he was too tired to argue, he nodded and made his way to his room. She sighed in relief, slumping against the wall for a moment. She buried her head in the blanket, trying desperately to clear away the images, but all she saw was blood. Varian’s blood, Cassandra’s blood, Horace’s blood, her mom’s, Cassandra’s moms, varian’s dad’s. _And they were all on her hands._

She stood shakily. She didn’t even remember when she had sat. It didn’t matter what she saw, it wasn’t real. It was just a dream. She needed to focus on now. But the images were there, right there at the back of her mind. She made her way to the couch. Varian was sitting up, still shaking, the palms of his hands pressed to his eyes. His lips were moving, voice not audible over the fire. She made her way over, draping the blanket over his shoulders. 

“Varian-“ She started, gasping as his head suddenly snapped up, eyes meeting hers. Maybe it was just the light from the fire, maybe it was something else. The blue in his eyes were overtaken by red, the same with his hair, and freckles, all glowing a soft red. A red that reminded her of blood. _Of his blood, of her blood, everyone’s blood, Corona’s blood._ She vaguely heard footsteps coming down the stairs. 

But it didn’t matter, her father was standing in front of her. Sword swinging effortlessly through the air, chopping off her golden hair. She wasn’t blonde though. She screamed, she couldn’t save them, she _needed_ to save them, she couldn’t do it without her hair. Who did she need to save? 

Horace briefly entered her vision, hair sticking up every which way, shirt clinging to his skin with sweat. Other than that he looked fine. _But he was dead, she saw him die._

“Hey, hey, Freckles, look at me, focus on me. I’m real. Whatever you’re seeing isn’t.” He tried, voice shaking, eyes wide with desperation. She didn’t hear him, she didn’t see him. All she saw was blood. She could hear it roaring in her ears, taste it on her tongue. 

“Fuck.” He whispered, watching hopelessly as Rapunzel curled into a ball on the floor. He could see the beginnings of red spreading from her fingertips. He turned his attention to Varian, hopping to sit in front of him on the couch. “Hey, kid, I need you to snap out of this. You’re safe. We’re here. We are not going to leave you, okay?” 

“I’m scared.” Varian whispered. Horace hesitated, before pulling the boy to his chest. His vision swam with images of what could be, but he refused to let them take form. 

“I know. It’s okay. I’ve got you. You can run all you want, but I will always come get you. I will never leave you. I’m not going to let anything bad happen to you, okay?” He comforted, stroking his hair, careful to avoid his injury. Horace breathed out a sigh of relief as the red started to fade, returning to its normal blue, as Varian clutched the front of his shirt shaking reducing to manageable tremors. His eyes darted to the other side of the couch where Rapunzel uncurled and sat up, eyes blinking in confusion. 

“Are you alright, Freckles?” He whispered, noticing that Varian’s breathing had evened out and the boy was most likely asleep again. 

“What happened?” She asked, rubbing her eyes. 

“I’ll explain later, but you should get some rest.” Horace patted the spot next to him on the couch and offered her a blanket as she settled in, offering no protest. She was asleep within seconds. Horace could feel his own eyes start to droop. He couldn’t help the small smile that tugged at his lips. He couldn’t believe after such a short amount of time he had grown so attached and protective of Varian and Rapunzel. 

Sure they had their problems, but so did he. _And if he was being honest, what family didn’t?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I thought I’d explain a little of what’s going on here. There are no red rocks, the rocks will only be the black ones that Varian can control, however instead of red rocks the moonstone can sway emotions, kind of like mantis in guardians of the galaxy. So anything after the first bit of italics are fear induced visions that Rapunzel is having. Side note: I believe I read somewhere, or maybe I imagined it, that the moon represents the past and the sun represents the future. So do what you will with that information! If anyone has any questions don’t hesitate to ask!!


	16. Deal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alternative title: Former Captain of the guard adopts local disaster children. Things are heating up fam!! Enjoy!!

Despite being exhausted, Elliott rose early. A curse from his days as a guard. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes, letting out a tired yawn. Reluctantly, he kicked off his blankets and dragged himself out of bed. He snatched his bag of coins from his dresser, making his way to the kitchen. He really needed a good cup of tea right now. The night had absolutely drained him, but it was already shaping up to be another busy day. He would need to go into town to get the doctor, they’d need more food, it probably would be beneficial to ask how long they planned to stay, but he didn’t want them to feel unwelcome either. All of them desperately needed new clothes as well, each currently sporting one of his extra tunics. Maybe he could send the princess and Horace to get food and clothes, while he got the doctor. He didn’t think the princess would be recognized, especially now with her short hair and freckles on full display. 

He went into the main room to check on Rapunzel and Varian. He froze, a smile pulling at his lips. Horace laid on the couch, Varian and Rapunzel lying on top of him. Each had an arm wrapped around Varian, while Horace had his other hand in her hair. The blanket had fallen to the floor at some point. He didn’t know what had brought them together but he was glad they had found each other. They all looked so at peace. He decided the errands could wait a little while longer, placing the blanket over the sleeping group. He startled slightly when a knock sounded from the front door. He cast them a quick glance, satisfied when none of them seemed to be disturbed, and made his way to the door. He swung it open, eyes widening in surprise. 

“Cassandra?” 

********************

It had taken her longer than she would have liked to get to Old Corona, the sun starting to rise in the distance. But at least she had arrived safely. She easily cleared the steps to the large house, hesitating for a moment before knocking. She nervously shifted from foot to foot despite herself. She knew she really shouldn’t be nervous. She had known Elliott for the majority of her life now. He had been her main contact whenever she had to travel to town for supplies or anything else. He was almost like a surrogate father to her. He wouldn’t turn her away, he would help. 

“Cassandra?” Elliott questioned, surprise clear on his face. She opened and closed her mouth, suddenly at a loss for words. “Is everything okay?” 

“Can- can I stay here for awhile?” She asked, trying and failing to keep her emotions in check. 

“Of course.” He answered easily, leading her straight to the kitchen. He poured her a glass of water and sat down, waiting for her to do the same. She must have looked miserable with the way he was looking at her. “What happened?” 

“Mother is dead. I can’t stay there. I-I couldn’t.” She answered, blinking rapidly to stop the tears from falling. 

“Oh, Cassandra. Stay as long as you need.” She allowed herself to be held, a few stray tears falling down her face. Eventually she pulled away, taking a sip from her water. She sheepishly tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. 

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to dump this on you, but I didn’t know where else to go.” Cassandra apologized, feeling very guilty about her sudden arrival. 

“It’s no problem but there is something you should know.” Elliott started, gaining Cassandra’s attention and causing her to quirk her eyebrow. He cleared his throat before continuing. “I already have some visitors. We can make it work, but- I know I can trust you, but you absolutely cannot tell anyone what I am about to tell you.” The urgency was clear in his eyes. She didn’t hesitate to nod in agreement. “The princess is here.” 

Cassandra paled, swallowing thickly. Rapunzel was here, that meant the others were most likely here as well. She didn’t know if she was ready to face them, panic seizing her chest. She could see Rapunzels green eyes wide in desperation as she yelled at her, Varian’s pained expression as she blamed him for things he had no control over. “I made a mistake.” She whispered, rising from her seat. 

“Cassandra, wait. I know it’s a lot to ask, but she needs help. I don’t know what happened, I’m not sure I want to know. It doesn’t matter. When someone needs help, I will do my best to help. We can work something out. Everything will be okay.” He pleaded, the guilt and fear in her eyes making him worry that she might leave. 

Cassandra chuckled dryly, rubbing her temples. “No, you don’t understand. I made a mistake. They came to me for help a-and I threatened to turn them into the guards. The guards! They would be charged for treason! You-you could be charged for treason.” She slumped back into her chair. 

“I know, but I’m making up for all the mistakes I made as Captain. It’s never too late to fix your mistakes.” He cupped her face gently in his hands, placing a small kiss on top of her hair. She nodded, smiling softly. “I have to head into town. You could come with me, talk some more, and by the time we get back maybe you’ll have come to a decision.” 

“I would like that.” Cassandra answered genuinely. She waited patiently as Elliott scribbled a quick note and dropped some coins on top. She set her pack next to the table and followed Elliott out, casting a quick glance around the house. She took a deep breath. She could do this. She could come back and apologize and make things right. Even if they didn’t accept her, she would still have Elliott. 

***********************

Stalyan stopped her horse in front of a moss wall. She easily dismounted, making her way through the wall. Her lips curled in disgust, spotting a small flower sprouting from the ground. She squished it beneath her boot. It had been barely over a week since the moonstone was stolen from them and it’s power was already waning. But that’s why she was here to return the stone to its rightful place in Corona. 

Upon entering the clearing, she was met with a sword to her chest. She pouted, putting her hands up in a sign of peace. “No need to be so hostile, I just want to talk.” 

“Last I checked, you can still talk with a sword pointed at you.” The man on the other side of the sword said, hair pulled into a bun on his head. 

“Come now, Andrew, I thought we were friends.” She took a step forward, the point of the sword now resting on her collarbone. 

“Call it a precaution then.” He responded, not wavering in the slightest. 

“Fine.” She sighed, rolling her eyes. “If you didn’t know dearest Freddy had the moonstone stolen from him. We fully intend to get it back. There is just the small problem of keeping it contained. Your little friend dabbles in magic, does she not?” 

“She does. But I hardly understand why you would need to go through all this trouble to keep a stone in a box. If it really was that important, shouldn’t Freddy just have more competent guards.” This time Andrew rolled his eyes, the situation seeming meaningless to him. “This is hardly a matter that concerns Saporia.” 

“But it does. You see once the stone is safely contained, Freddy plans to continue his expansion. Eventually he will need someone to run this side of Corona for him. Luckily, that person is you.” Her lips curled into a sinister smile, as he finally lowered the sword. She could see him going over the proposal in his head, before sneering. 

“You’re wasting my time. You have no power to make such promises.” He turned, bringing a hand up to signal the archers that were hidden above. 

“Oh, but I do.” He turned his head around, eyebrow raised, as she held up her left hand. He grabbed her hand roughly, pulling it close for inspection. His eyes widened noticing the small sun inscribed on the golden ring. “So, do we have a deal? If your little friend can create something to contain the moonstone, Saporia will reign here once Freddy expands.” 

“We have a deal.” A smirk graced his features, as he shook her hand, sealing their arrangement. 

_ Saporia would rise again.  _


	17. Falling

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Excuse me when did this story get so long? I legit had a heart attack I did not realize there were so many chapters already! I have never written so much in my life! Anyways, my phone tried to autocorrect Adira to adorable so there’s that. Also this is a pretty fluffy chapter so enjoy!!!!

Adira marched ahead, Hector a bit behind her, still grumbling about the balloon crash. She had tuned him out some time ago. She had never claimed to be a good pilot, he’ll she didn’t even claim to know how to fly. And yet her brother had agreed like the idiot he was. So truly he only had himself to blame. 

“Are you done griping yet? Or do I have to do your job as well?” Adira teased, a smirk playing on her lips. Hector bristled, looking very much like a spooked cat. She couldn’t stop the laugh from escaping her mouth. 

“This isn’t funny, Adira! You almost killed us!” Hector growled, stomping his foot like a child, which only caused her to laugh louder. 

“But I didn’t.” She retorted, wiping the tears that had gathered at the corners of her eyes, wide smile on her face. 

Hector sucked in a deep breath, suddenly remembering why he preferred the company of animals to humans. “Fine.” He relented, knowing he would get nowhere in an argument with Adira. He bent to the ground, eyes scanning the area. The dirt was soft underneath his fingers, most likely indicating someone had been through not that long ago. Adira let him take his time. Hector was the best tracker in Selene, but it would likely take some time to get an accurate track on the moonstone. She leaned against the tree, watching Hector closely. It didn’t take him long to rise again. 

“This way.” He said simply, leading them towards what he hoped would be the moonstone. Almost as soon as they started their trek Hector stopped, sniffing the air. “Do you smell that?” 

Adira followed suit, allowing the smell to fill her nostrils before answering. “Smoke.” Before she say more Hector took off in a sprint. She followed close behind, a reprimand on the tip of her tongue. She swallowed it when they stopped in front of what used to be a home. It was in quite a strange location, separate from the rest of civilization, the perfect place to hide something. Hector was already sifting through the remains. 

“The stone was here.” Hector concluded. 

“Are you certain?” She asked, sucking in a breath. 

“Are you doubting my skills, sister?” He shot back eyebrow raised teasingly. She crossed her arms in annoyance, opening her mouth to retort, only to be cut off by Hector holding a slightly singed scroll. 

“Is that Quirin’s?” She tried and failed to keep the shock out of her voice, hating how her heart skipped a beat in hope. Hector simply nodded, running his fingers over the paper. She placed a comforting hand on her brother’s shoulder, allowing them a moment of silence for their fallen brother. 

********************

When Horace woke up the sun was shining directly on his face. He groaned, moving his hand to block it out. His eyes shot open when he realized there was no longer the familiar weight of Rapunzel and Varian on him. He sat up eyes darting around the room. 

“Good morning, sleepyhead.” Rapunzel sing songed from the kitchen. He smiled as she made her way around the kitchen, sliding a plate of eggs and bacon in front of Varian, who was seated at the table. She looked surprisingly chipper considering the events of the previous night. Varian looked worse, dark circles under his eyes and a few cuts and bruises peppered his skin, likely from his fall. He was paler which was only empathized by the feverish flush of his cheeks. His head was wrapped in fresh gauze, Rapunzel probably having changed it when they got up. 

His stomach rumbled, interrupting his observations. Rapunzel laughed from the kitchen. “Don’t worry, I made you a plate too.” That was all the invitation he needed. He leapt over the back of the couch, practically running to join them at the table. 

“This smells amazing, Freckles.” He complimented, shoving something eggs into his mouth. She simply smiled, as she helped Varian figure out how to use his fork. “How’re you feeling, kiddo?” He asked through another mouthful of eggs. 

“ ‘m fine.” Varian responded. Horace didn’t believe him in the slightest, the boy pushing his food around more than actually eating it. He reached out placing the back of his hand to his forehead. He frowned, the boy was burning up. 

“Elliott is bringing a doctor.” Rapunzel said, reading his mind. “In the mean time, we have some errands to run.” He raised an eyebrow as she slid a note across the table. He scanned the paper. They were to get some groceries and new clothes for the three of them. It should be easy enough. The rest of their breakfast passed in a comfortable silence. 

Rapunzel breaking it as she cleared the counter and grabbed the coins. “Will you be okay by yourself for a bit?” She asked Varian, worry evident in her eyes. He nodded, not easing her nerves in the slightest. She smoothed back his hair, placing a kiss to his forehead. “We’ll be back soon, promise.” With that they left the house. 

The town was teeming with life. People lined the streets making their way from stall to stall, chatting excitedly about whatever was going on in their lives. Besides it’s more pastel colors, it reminded him of home. 

“Wow.” Rapunzel breathed, eyes glittering with excitement. “I’ve never seen anything like this.” She squealed and took off into the crowd. Horace had to run to catch up to her as she flitted from stall to stall, looking similar to a hummingbird. Her smile was infectious. Actually it was hard not to smile whenever he was around her. She stopped abruptly in front of a crafts stall, eyes wide and hands clasped in front of her chest. 

“I’ve never seen so many paints.” She whispered in awe. She reached out to touch a bottle, but pulled back at the last second as if she were scared it would disappear. 

“You’re an artist?” He questioned, smiling wider at her expression. 

“I wouldn’t say _that._ I just like to paint. It’s relaxing. Father never allowed me to have many paints, though.” She explained, eyes darkening slightly. She tore her eyes from the stall, focusing on the list in her hands. “Lets get this list started.” Her eyes lingered on the paints, before starting down the street. 

“Hey, Freckles, I’ll catch up. Go get your clothes, I’ll be there in a minute.” He shouted after her. She gave him a small nod as she disappeared inside a store. 

He rifled through his pockets, pulling out a few spare coins and turned his attention back to the paint stall. After making his purchase he placed his items into his satchel and made his way into a bookstore. He remembered Rapunzel mentioning that Varian liked to read. It didn’t take him long to find what he was looking for and purchase that as well. He scurried across the street to get his clothes, hopefully before Rapunzel came looking for him. He picked out a simple white button up shirt, with a purple vest, and black trousers. He picked a pair of boots to match. Figuring the store Rapunzel went into wouldn’t have men’s clothing he picked out an outfit for Varian, similar to his own, but in blue. He exited the store as quickly as he had entered, freezing as his eyes landed on Rapunzel. 

_“Wow.”_ He whispered under his breath. She was wearing a pink short sleeved shirt with a purple sash around her waist. The pants she wore were a darker pink that ballooned towards the bottom, held in place by boots that laced up to her knees, her toes and heels visible only covering the soles of her feet. She was radiant. 

“You look great, Horace.” She complimented, striding up to him. 

“I-you look _amazing.”_ He stuttered, not able to take his eyes off her. 

“Thank you!” She beamed, twirling a bit to show off her outfit. “Let’s finish this list, shall we?” She offered him her arm, which he gratefully accepted nodding like an idiot. They finished the rest of list rather quickly, even with Rapunzel stopping briefly at every stall. Not that he minded. He found that he quite enjoyed spending time with her. Despite everything she had been through she still saw the bright side of things. 

“Ready to get back?” She asked, tearing him from his thoughts. 

“Not quite.” He responded, chuckling as she tilted her head in confusion. “I think I still owe you an explanation of what happened last night.” She nodded, mood dampening slightly. He lead them to the top of a nearby hill, sitting down and placing their things next to them. 

She brought her knees to her chest, resting her chin on top of them. “So, what did happen?” She asked, already fearing the answer. 

“The moonstone- Varian..” He broke off trying to figure out how to word his explanation. “A long time ago a drop of the moon fell from the sky. It created the moonstone. A man stumbled upon it, realizing it had a great and terrible power, he decided to protect it and built a kingdom around it. Centuries passed and each king was tasked with protecting the stone, keeping it from the wrong hands, studying it. We’ve learned so much from it,some of it good, some bad. The black rocks can be used to create or destroy. It can also strengthen and weaken emotions. Those visions you saw last night were an example of this. Usually it just does this based on the person being effected emotions, but it’s never had a human host before. We’re in unknown territory. I think that it was feeding off of Varian’s emotions and projecting those visions to us.” 

“You saw them too?” She asked. 

“Yes? Kind of. Everyone sees something different. Yesterday, what you saw was your greatest fear. If left in that state of fear for too long, you’ll eventually be quite literally frozen in fear.” He explained, turning to face her. She took a moment to process the information. 

“How do you know all this?” 

He laughed. “I’ve been training for this my whole life. Once my father is ready, he’ll pass the responsibility to me. We never could have expected _this.”_ He gestured wildly around him. 

“What will happen when they find out Varian has the stone in him?” She asked, worry written on her face. 

“I don’t know. Like I said, as far as we know, the moonstone has never had a human host. But we’ll figure it out.” He answered honestly. He knew his parents would help. They had to know of a way, they had to. 

“Thank you.” She said suddenly. He raised an eyebrow in confusion, causing her to laugh. “You didn’t have to go through all this trouble. You could have easily turned us in or forcibly taken Varian away, but you’ve just helped us and continue to help. I just couldn’t be more grateful. You’re a much better person than I could ever hope to be.” 

“I honestly doubt that. But you’re welcome. You’re pretty amazing yourself, Freckles. You could have easily saved yourself. You saved two lives the day you ran away.” He nudged her lightly. 

She laughed, tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear. “I’m glad you think so.” 

“I’m sure I’m not the only one. Have you _seen_ the way Varian looks at _you?_ He adores you. Speaking of...” Horace pulled a book from his satchel handing it to her. 

“The tales of Flynnigan rider?” She read, quirking an eyebrow. 

“Do you think he’ll like it? My father used to read them to me as a kid.” He said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. 

“He’ll love it.” She smiled, holding the gift close to her chest. 

“Oh, don’t think I forgot about you.” This time he handed his whole satchel to her. She took it hesitantly, eyes lighting up like the sun, when she saw the contents inside. 

“Horace! _Thank you!_ Thank you so much!” She squealed, launching herself into his arms for a brief hug before returning to the contents of the satchel. She removed the paints from within, one of each color. At the bottom lay different sized paint brushes and a beautiful leather bound journal to paint in. “It’s beautiful.” She ran her fingers delicately over the items, not quite believing they were real. His heart skipped a beat watching her. His face flushed red from the hug she had given her. 

Sure they had been in close contact before, but this felt somehow different. This felt _right._ He wanted nothing more than to hold her and keep her as happy as she was in this moment.  _ He was falling. And he was falling hard.  _


	18. Apologies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rapunzel and Varian= Pure sibling energy   
> Cassandra and Varian= Chaotic sibling energy 
> 
> Enjoy!!!

Varian was bored. Which was actually quite exciting. He didn’t think he had ever been bored before. But he quickly decided he didn’t like being bored. It was, well, boring. He wanted nothing more than to curl into a ball and go to sleep. He would have too, but Rapunzel asked that he stay up until the doctor came. She had explained the situation to him before Horace woke up. The doctor was to be stopping by shortly to make sure he was okay. He didn’t know why he wouldn’t be. He honestly didn’t remember much from after he fell, only bits and pieces here and there. Rapunzel had more or less filled him in, after a tearful speech about how much he had scared them and how they weren’t going to leave him. He vaguely remembered Horace saying something similar. It made him feel bad, he hadn’t meant to worry them. He just wanted them to be safe. So when Rapunzel asked him to stay up until the doctor came it was the least he could do. 

After about twenty or so minutes he had explored the bottom half of the house. He had attempted to climb the stairs to the second floor, his vision swimming dangerously after the first step. Now he was back on the couch, bored, trying not to fall back asleep. He couldn’t even find a book or anything to entertain himself with. He resorted to kicking the blanket on and off, being too cold without it and too hot with it. He huffed sitting up and looking around the room for something, anything, that might be able to hold his interest. 

His eyes settled on the pack by the table. He had ignored it before, figuring he could find something more interesting in the house. Now that he hadn’t he couldn’t take his eyes off it. He felt a strange pull towards it. He could have sworn there was a soft glow coming from it. His curiosity got the better of him, pushing himself off the couch. Once his mind was made up it seemed to be all he could think about, the glowing pack on the floor. He knew nothing else but it. His eyes glazing over as he became entranced by it. The strange pulling feeling increasing tenfold, with each step he took closer to it. He bent down, staring at it for a second. He reached out, fingertips grazing the fabric, only for a hand to roughly grab his wrist and pull him to his feet. 

_“What are you doing?!”_ Cassandra hissed, breaking whatever trance he had been in. 

“Cassie!” Varian exclaimed excitedly, only to shrink back upon noticing the anger in her eyes. “I’m sorry.” He mumbled glancing at his feet. He startled as she pulled him into a hug. 

It was awkward, her hand still wrapped around his wrist, the other patting his back. “No, I’m sorry.” She said, voice loud enough so only he could hear her. “I shouldn’t have said the things I did. I was hurt and I took it out on you. I’m sorry.” 

Varian returned the hug as best he could, burying his face in her shoulder. It didn’t last long before she cleared her throat and pulled away. “Um, the doctor’s here. We, uh, we probably shouldn’t keep her waiting.” 

He nodded in response, following Cassandra into the main room. A man and a woman were waiting for them. The man he vaguely recognized from last night as Elliott. The woman was wearing a long white coat and carrying a small bag, he assumed this was the doctor. The appointment itself was very strange to Varian. She asked him questions, looked in his mouth, had him follow her finger with his eyes as she shined a light in them,pressed a cold metal thing to his chest and had him breath, and checked his injuries. She said nothing the whole time, besides instructions and asking the occasional question. She jotted something on a piece of paper and handed it to Elliott, along with a few bottles. 

“The boy has a mild concussion, a pretty high fever, and he’s severely dehydrated. This is for the pain and this is for the fever. Give him a spoonful of each twice a day, and make sure he gets plenty of water. He’ll need plenty of rest for at least the next week.” She explained before heading out the door, Elliott escorting her. 

Cassandra grabbed one of the bottles and read it over briefly before grabbing a spoon from the kitchen. She poured the liquid onto the spoon, just the sight of the stuff made Varian’s stomach turn. “Ok, kid, you heard what she said, open up.” 

Varian shook his head, there was no way he was putting that disgusting stuff anywhere near his mouth. Before he even knew what was happening Cassandra surged forward and pinched his nose, forcing the spoon into his mouth as soon as he opened it to take a breath. He sputtered and gagged, coughing violently as the medicine made its way down his throat. He pulled away from her as soon as he had the chance, scrambling to his feet in an attempt to get away. She grabbed his wrist again, preventing him from getting far. 

“Not so fast. You still have one more to take.” She scolded, already having the second spoonful at the ready. He yanked his arm out of her grasp, he was not falling for that again. He scurried down the hall and as far from her as he could get. 

“Varian! _Get back here and take your damn medicine!”_ She yelled, chasing after him. 

****************

Rapunzel clutched her new journal close to her chest. She couldn’t wait to get back and start painting. Her mind swirled with all the different things she wanted to paint. She felt a thousand times better than she had last night, and Horace’s gift just increased that feeling tenfold. 

As they approached the house, she saw Elliott standing outside saying his goodbyes to who she assumed was the doctor. She felt a little bit guilty that she couldn’t be there for Varian during the whole ordeal, but she was grateful Elliott was. He waved to them and quickly made his way down the steps to help them with their items. 

“How’d it go?” Horace asked, gratefully handing over a few bags of groceries. 

“Mild concussion, fever, and dehydration. He should be fine though. The doctor gave him some medicine and with lots of rest he should make a full recovery.” He explained. 

“That’s wonderful!” Rapunzel exclaimed, her guilt easing a bit. She scurried up the steps, eager to see Varian, completely ignoring Elliott’s calls to wait. She swung the door open and froze in shock. She wasn’t sure what she was expecting to see, but it certainly wasn’t Cassandra straddling Varian on the floor, his wrists held in a death grip in her hand and spoon inching closer to his mouth as he struggled to get away. His eyes met hers, lighting up. 

“Rapunzel!” He called excitedly, only for Cassandra to shove the spoon in his mouth. She got up, blowing a stray strand of hair out of her face, as Varian coughed on the floor. Rapunzel’s eyes were wide as she looked around the house. All of the chairs around the table were turned over, the blanket on the floor, and other random items spread about, most concerning a halberd now blocking the stairs. Her eyes always traveled back to Cassandra, whatever triumph the other was feeling disappeared at the sight of her. 

“Rapunzel.” Cassandra started, taking a small step forward, eyes softening. Rapunzel involuntarily took a step back, not quite sure what to say or do. “Rapunzel, I-I’m sorry. I can’t take back what I said, but I will make it up to you. I didn’t mean to hurt you.” 

Rapunzel didn’t know how to respond. Cassandra had apologized, she was trying to make things right. But she had still hurt her, and like it or not Rapunzel was still hurting from her words. 

Cassandra sighed. “I understand if you don’t want me here. I’ll leave.” She picked up her pack and made her way towards the door, all eyes on her. “Here, this belongs to you.” She handed Rapunzel her necklace, hurrying down the steps. Rapunzel turned it over in her hand, frowning as she did so. She felt Horace place a comforting hand on her shoulder and Varian’s eyes on her, both waiting for her to make a decision. She knew she would feel even more guilty if she let the older woman go out on her own. Even if she had hurt them, she was just as alone as them. 

“Cassandra, wait!” She called, chasing after her. Cassandra stopped, turning to face her. “I-I can’t say I’m not still hurt, but we can work it out. You don’t have to be alone.” 

Cassandra’s eyes softened again, and Rapunzel could swear she saw them glittering with tears. “Thank you, Raps.” 

“Anytime, Cass.” She responded, taking her hand and leading them back inside. 

Rapunzel smiled brightly, as a weight she didn’t know she was carrying was lifted off her shoulders. They were together again and it felt like things were finally going right.  _ If only she had seen the figure watching her from the trees.  _


	19. Present

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me: Don’t get used to daily updates, there not going to last!
> 
> Also me: continues to update almost daily.
> 
> Anywho this chapter turned out angstier than I had planned but enjoy!!

“Welcome home, boys!” Stalyan spread her arms wide, strutting into the throne room, the Saporians behind her. Andrew wasted no time hopping into Frederic’s throne. 

“Oh yeah, I could get used to this.” He purred, relaxing against the cushions and closing his eyes. 

“Well, don’t.” Stalyan responded, poking his shoulder. “You still have to fulfill your end of the deal.” 

“ _ We _ have it handled.” He shot back, gesturing to a small white haired woman. “Clementine, here is the best sorceress this side of the world.” 

“We’ll see. Clementine, dear, come with me.” She didn’t wait to see if the woman was following her as she made her way into the dungeons, stopping at the last cell. She gave the woman a few minutes to examine it. “Do you think you can replicate it?” 

“Oh, I can do better than that. I can improve it.” Clementine responded, lips curling into a smile, as she held the remains of the chains. 

“Perfect.” Stalyan matched her smile. “And, about how long will it take to complete?” 

“Give me a week.” 

“I’ll inform the king.” With that Stalyan made her way to the king’s chambers, not bothering to knock as she let herself in. “The project will be completed within the week.” 

Frederic smiled from where he adjusted his robe in the mirror. “Excellent work, Stalyan. You truly are going to make an excellent queen.” She smiled wider, as he brought her hand to his lips. 

A guard burst through the door, clearly out of breath. “Your majesty! The princess has been spotted!” 

“Where?” He asked, choosing for know to ignore the guard’s insolence. 

“Old Corona. The former captain’s house.” The guard asked, fiddling nervously with his gloves. 

“Prepare the troops. I need to have a word with my daughter.” 

***************** 

Horace hadn’t expected an apology. He hadn’t even expected the demoness to give him a second glance. So when she stopped in front of him on her way back into the house and mumbled a quick sorry, he was more than surprised. He appreciated the gesture but he figured it was more for Rapunzel’s sake, and frankly he was fine with that. They didn’t need to be best friends, hell they didn’t even need to get along, they just needed to be civil in front of the princess. And he had pretty much trained his whole life to be nice to people he can’t stand. That being said, since Varian had promptly passed out again after the cap made them clean up their mess and he hadn’t been able to give him the book, he decided to help Cassandra in the kitchen as she prepped dinner. 

“Whatcha cooking?” He asked, glancing to Rapunzel, who was seated cross legged on the floor journal and paints spread out in front of her, tongue poking out in concentration. 

“Dinner.” Cassandra deadpanned, raising an eyebrow daring him to say more. 

Never one to turn down a challenge, Horace made himself comfortable leaning against the counter. “Obviously, but what exactly?” 

“Soup.” She cut a carrot with more force than necessary, before throwing it in the pot and giving it a quick stir. 

He leaned in close, lowering his voice to a harsh whisper. “Listen, Cass-an-dra, I don’t like you and quite frankly I don’t think you like me either. And that’s fine, truly. But at least try to be civil, for Varian and Rapunzel’s sake.” 

“Fine.” She hissed, pointing the knife at him for a second. “But if you even think of hurting either of them, I  _ will not  _ hesitate to slit your throat.” 

“The feelings mutual. I will ignore your previous offense since you did come all this way to apologize. That being said, I guess you do have a heart in the icy depths of your soul, so I am also sorry. I didn’t have to be so harsh.” He said, picking up a stray piece of carrot and popping it into his mouth. 

“Wow, what an amazing heartfelt apology. Not that I expect much better from you.” She said, sarcasm dripping from her voice. She slammed the knife into the cutting board, stopping his progress as he reached for another piece of carrot. “Are you going to help or not?” 

He snickered, picking up a few bits of carrot regardless and pushed himself off the counter. “No, I think you’ve got this.” He didn’t give her anytime to respond before joining Rapunzel on the floor. They were seated in front of the couch where Varian was sleeping, Elliott off to the side polishing his halberd. He glanced over her shoulder, smiling at the painting she was working on. On one side of the paper was a painting of Varian as he was, sleeping on the couch. The other side, which she was still working on, showed him and her sitting on a hill together overlooking the bustling village. 

“I think you undersold your talents, Freckles.” He complimented, nudging her lightly when she pulled her brush away from her paper. 

“Thanks.” She responded, cheeks turning a bright red, that he found completely adorable. He was going to say more, but Varian’s eyes blinked open, causing Rapunzel to give him her full attention. Horace felt a twinge of jealousy, quickly pushing it down. He was being ridiculous. “How’re you feeling?” Rapunzel asked, brushing his hair out of his face. 

“Better.” He answered honestly. 

“Great! Cause have I got something for you!” Horace exclaimed grabbing his satchel and pulling Varian to a sitting position, so he could also sit on the couch. The boy blinked rapidly, slightly disoriented. 

“Give him a minute to wake up.” Elliott chided, not once glancing up from his polishing. 

“Do you want your present or not?” Horace asked, ignoring Elliott as Rapunzel chuckled. 

“What’s a present?” Varian asked, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Rapunzels laughs stopped and Horace faltered, not quite sure how to proceed. What kid didn’t know what a present was? He knew for a fact Quirin gave some of the best. 

“It’s- uh, it’s something someone gives someone they care about.” Rapunzel explained gently. 

“Oh. You care about me?” Varian asked, blinking up at Horace owlishly. Horace looked around, each person wearing a varying degree of shock on their face, before turning his attention back to the boy in front of him. 

“I-of course.” He answered simply, at a loss of what else to say. Varian stared at him, confusion on his features as if he couldn’t grasp the concept of someone caring about him. 

“We all care about you, Varian.” Rapunzel answered, placing a hand on his knee. Horace was grateful for her, the boy seeming more inclined to believe her. He nodded slightly, still looking like he was processing the information. 

Horace awkwardly cleared his throat. “Anyways,” Rapunzel shot him a small encouraging smile. “This- uh, this is for you.” He handed Varian the book, watching as the boy turned it over in his hands. 

“Thank you.” Varian breathed through a watery smile. 

“My dad, he, uh, used to read this to me. It’s still one of my favorites. It’s part of a series, so if you like it we can get the res-“ Horace was cut off as Varian launched himself into his arms. 

“Does this count?” Varian asked, voice muffled in the fabric of Horace’s clothes. 

“Count for what, kiddo?” He responded not quite sure what he was talking about. 

“As a present.” Varian clarified. Rapunzel covered her mouth, eyes watering slightly. Elliott looked up from his halberd, pity clear in his eyes. Even Cassandra looked saddened by the situation. 

“Yeah, yeah, it counts.” He responded, blinking back his own tears. 

“Dinner’s ready.” Cassandra interrupted after a second, and Horace couldn’t be more grateful. Rapunzel hastily wiped her eyes and made her way to the table, Varian following suit book in hand. He stood, making his way over to the table, only to be stopped by Elliott. 

“Do I want to know?” He asked, voice low and gesturing with his head to Varian. 

“It’s better if you don’t.” Horace responded. Elliott nodded, accepting the answer. 

_ And truly it was better that he didn’t. _


	20. Escape

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Twenty is such a big chapter for me. I’ve never written this much for one story and I’m just astonished with the amount of love it’s gotten. Thank you everyone for reading, commenting, bookmarking, and kudoing. That being said please don’t kill me! Enjoy!!

Cassandra poured over her mother’s notes, the flower sitting on the desk in her temporary room. The rest of the evening had passed uneventfully, which she was grateful for. Dinner had been unexpectedly pleasant, Rapunzel showing off her paintings and Varian with his nose buried in his book. And she was definitely not jealous about how easily Rapunzel got Varian to take his medicine. So now that everyone had retired for the evening she decided to give her mother’s work another look. Unfortunately, she was getting no where. She pushed her chair away from her desk, already hating her next line of thought. Horace was the resident magic expert, if anyone could help it would be him. Before she had time to talk herself out of it she knocked roughly on his door. 

He opened it after a few seconds, hair sticking up in every direction, eyes not quite focused. She cut right to the chase. “Do any of your legends mention a flower?” 

“What?” He responded, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. 

“Your legends. Do they mention a flower?” She repeated, already regretting her decision. 

“That’s what you woke me up for?” He laughed, running a hand through his hair in a sad attempt to fix it. 

“You know what, forget it.” She huffed, turning to head back to her room. 

“Wait.” He grabbed her wrist, preventing her from leaving. “There is one. Supposedly, the moonstone has a counterpart, the sundrop. Some people say it took the form of a flower, but it’s just a story.” 

“What if it wasn’t?” She lead him to her room, watching as his eyes lit up in shock at the flower on the desk. He reached out to touch it, stopping just shy of the petals. 

“Where did you find it?” He asked, awe evident on his features. 

“It was Mother’s.” He gave her a sad glance over his shoulder. She cleared her throat, trying to clear the awkwardness that settled in the air. “So, what’s it supposed to do? I’ve tried everything, but all it does is glow.” 

“It’s supposed to heal, but you can’t do it without the incantation.” He explained, looking over her notes. “Did your mother not have it? It’s pretty useless without it.” 

She shook her head. “Not that I know. She had this scroll, it had a few phrases on it, but I don’t think it was the whole thing.” She handed him a scrap of paper with the phrase she had copied from the scroll, the rest in the strange writing of the scroll. “I can’t seem to translate the rest.” 

“Oh, I don’t think anyone can. This is a dead language.” He laughed dryly. “I’m sorry, Cass, but I don’t think I can help.” She sighed, running a hand down her face. They both startled as a loud knock sounded throughout the house. They shared a look before bolting downstairs. Elliott, Rapunzel, and Varian were already there. 

“What’s going on?” Rapunzel asked in a whisper. 

“The king is here.” Elliott responded, peeking through one of the windows. Cassandra’s stomach dropped, as Elliott straightened his back, head held high. “Everyone stay hidden, I’ll take care of it.” 

Rapunzel looked like she wanted to protest, but Horace placed a hand on her arm and shook his head. They gathered below, just out of sight, but close enough to see what was happening. Cassandra kept her eyes on Elliott as he walked towards the king and bowed. 

“My King, to what do I owe the pleasure?” He asked, staying in his bow. Cassandra could feel her heart pounding in her chest as the king stepped closer. 

“You know why I’m here, Elliott. Did you think you could keep her from me?” Frederic hissed, circling Elliott dangerously, sword dragging on the ground as he did so. 

“I don’t know-“ He was cut off as Frederic grabbed the front of his shirt bringing him close. 

“Do not lie to me.” Frederic hissed, bringing his sword up. 

“I have to do something.” Rapunzel whispered, leaving Cassandra, and apparently Horace, no time to process the words before she stormed out the door. 

“Rap-“ Varian started to go after her. Horace reacted quicker clamping a hand over the boy’s mouth and pulling him back down. He struggled to get free, as Horace tried to calm him down. Cassandra tuned them out turning her attention to the scene in front of her. Frederic has dropped Elliott and was grinning menacingly at Rapunzel. 

“I’m here. Please, just don’t hurt him.” She said head held high as she walked closer. Cassandra could make out the slight tremble in her jaw as she moved. She stopped in front of her father, flinching as he brought a hand to her hair, keeping a lock of it between his fingers. 

“You cut your hair.” He commented, running his hand down her face in a way that made Cassandra’s stomach turn, stopping to cup her chin. “Where is it?” 

“I don’t know. I let  _ him _ go.” Rapunzel responded. Cassandra had to respect the way the girl showed no fear, defiance in her eyes. 

Frederic hummed and pursed his lips. He let her go roughly turning his back to them. For a second Cassandra hoped it would be the end of this. He would leave and never come back, leaving them and Rapunzel alone. Her hopes were crushed with his words. “You’re lying.” He turned suddenly, thrusting his sword through Rapunzel’s side and out her back. She didn’t know when he pulled the sword out, when Rapunzel fell to the ground, she didn’t even know when Varian had escaped Horace’s grip. But Rapunzel was now in Elliott’s arms, and Frederic’s smile seemed to spilt his face in two as Varian stood at the bottom of the steps. 

“There it is.” Frederic laughed, seemingly relishing in his victory. 

Varian was shaking, his hair lighting up like the moon above them. “You killed her.”He mumbled, lifting his head to reveal completely glowing eyes. “You killed her!” He screamed. The ground shook violently, black rocks shooting from the ground all around, destroying the stalls that they had walked past the previous day. For a split second she saw the horror in Frederic’s eyes, and if she had to guess it matched her own. The rocks shot up into the sky, creating a wall between them and Frederic’s army, continuing to wrap around them as if trying to protect them. She could hear the frantic yelling of the guards on the other side of the wall, Elliott seemed to be saying something to her, but she couldn’t hear it properly, adrenaline pounding in her ears. 

“We have to stop him.” Horace yelled, getting shakily to his feet, the ground still shaking. “Get the flower and meet me outside.” 

“But I don’t know the incan-“ 

_“Just get the goddamn flower!”_ Horace ordered, running outside to Varian. She ran up the stairs, grabbing the flower and her paper in record speed, only stumbling once or twice. She could hear Horace in the entrance. “Kid, you have to stop this! This isn’t what she would have wanted!” 

She froze at the scene in front of her. Varian stood unseeing, unhearing, a blank look on his face. This wasn’t going to work, he was too far gone. She hated herself as soon as the thought entered her mind, but it was the only way. She picked one of the spears that had fallen to the ground and swung the blunt end at Varian’s head. It didn’t take much force for him to crumple, the glow fading from him and the trembling stopped. A last black rock shot from the ground, a last ditch attempt at protection, and pierced straight through her right hand. She screamed, pulling her hand off the rock and cradling it close to her chest. Horace looked horrified, glancing from her to Varian and back again. 

“Take it to her.” She ordered, shoving the flower into his hands. She followed slowly behind him as he slid next to Rapunzel. The girl was pale, coughing up blood that stained her lips red. Her breathing was already ragged and eyes unfocused. Elliott’s hands were pressed to her wound trying to prevent anymore blood loss. 

“Hey, Freckles, eyes on me, okay?” Horace said, tears falling freely from his eyes, as he brushed her hair out of her face. 

“Where-where’s V-Varian?” Rapunzel asked, coughing up more blood. 

“He’s okay. Both of you are going to be okay.” He reassured, propping her head on his lap so she could cough with less effort. He moved the flower closer to her, trying to get the petals to touch the wound without getting dirt in it. 

He froze when her hand touched his. “P-promise me, you-you’ll take care of him.” She said, tears pooling in her own eyes. 

“You can take care of him, Freckles.” Horace insisted. 

Rapunzel laughed, smiling sadly, cupping Horace’s face. “I-I can’t promise that.” Her hand dropped, going limp at her side. 

“Freckles? Rapunzel? I need you to wake up, please wake up!” He pleaded, pressing his forehead to hers, as his tears rolled from his eyes and down her cheeks. 

“There’s an opening over here!” A guard shouted, breaking them from whatever trance they had been in. 

“We need to go.” Elliott instructed, scooping Varian into his arms. No one dared say anything as Horace did the same to Rapunzel’s body, placing the flower on top. They ran, out into the woods behind the house, dodging any stray rocks that had popped out of the ground. And as they ran a memory care to the front of Cassandra’s mind. A moment she was never supposed to see, words she was never supposed to hear. She repeated them between breaths. 

_ “Flower, gleam and glow. Let your power shine. Make the clock reverse. Bring back what once was mine. Heal what has been hurt. Change the fates design. Save what has been lost. Bring back what once was mine. What once was mine.”  _

The effect was instantaneous. The flower glowed brightly, rays of light swirling from it and around Rapunzel, exploding into the night sky. Cassandra blinked her eyes rapidly, trying to clear the spots from her vision, only for them to widen as the color returned to Rapunzel’s features, the flower gone. That wasn’t the only change, her hair was now a golden blonde and growing rapidly as Cassandra struggled to gather it up as she ran. 

“Horace?” A voice asked, a voice she easily recognized as Rapunzel’s. It was only confirmed by Horace’s choked sob. 

“Hey, Freckles.” He laughed, holding her tighter. Their celebration was short lived, as Elliott came to a sudden stop. 

“Dead end.” He whispered, desperately looking for another way out. Cassandra could hear the horses getting closer, as they all frantically looked around. 

“Psst, down here!” A voice called, from inside a tree trunk, where a trapdoor was lifted. Seeing no other options, the group filed into the secret passageway. “This way, quickly!” 

They followed the stranger. Cassandra hoped that they had made the right choice. Now that she got a better look the stranger was obviously male. He was tall and quite muscular. She couldn’t see much of his face as it was covered by a hood. They stopped in front of a wall, where he knocked in a pattern and the wall opened, revealing a man who looked extremely similar to Horace, but with a mustache in addition to his horrid goatee. 

“Ah, Lance! More refugees I see!” He greeted, arms spread wide, smile on his face. 

“You betcha, Flynn! I found these guys with the guards right on their tails! Talk about timing, am I right?” Lance responded, nudging Flynn with his elbow. 

“Well don’t be shy! Come on in! Mi casa es su casa, and all that jazz.” Flynn said, gesturing around to the small space. Once they were all inside the wall closed back up behind them. Cassandra took in their surroundings, a small kitchen to their left and bunk beds lined their right. Horace and Elliott were already setting down Varian and Rapunzel, who had fallen back asleep, not that she could blame her. 

Now that the adrenaline had more or less worn off, Cassandra was made well aware of the searing pain in her hand. She felt like she might puke and pass out simultaneously. She must have looked horrid, as Lance reached out to steady her. He said something, but she could barely see his lips moving as her vision swam. 

_ Spots danced in front of her eyes. She gave into the darkness, safe in the knowledge that whatever happened next Elliott and Horace could handle it.  _


	21. Dream

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was like really fun to write for some reason! I’m really excited with how it turned out! Enjoy!!!!

Hector ran in sync with Adira. Their feet pounding against the ground, as they ran towards the commotion, expertly dodging any black rocks that got in their way. And there seemed to be an increasing amount the closer they got to the source. As they approached the edge of the forest Hector’s eyes widened as he spotted a giant wall made completely of black rocks. He would have kept going if not for Adira’s arm shooting out to stop him, placing a finger to her lips before pointing a ways in front of them. 

They both ducked behind a tree, watching as the guards ran about trying to break though the wall. He snarled upon spotting Frederic. Adira shot him a warning look. He took a step back, not realizing he had even taken one forward. It would be so easy to kill the man, to sneak in and slit his throat amongst the chaos. But it wasn’t the mission, he needed to focus on the mission. One look at his sister told him she felt the same. He turned his attention back to the scene in front of him as the king spoke. 

“Don’t you see now, how I’ve been protecting you. How I’ve kept you safe from this. The moonstone is dangerous and our rivals want to use that power to destroy us. Return it to me and I can guarantee nothing like this will happen again. Corona will prosper!” Frederic preached to the citizens that had gathered around the area. They cheered at his words. 

“This is bullshit.” Adira hissed, showing no fear as Frederic locked eyes with them a smirk on his face. He made his way over to them, confident as ever. 

“Still Edmund’s lap dogs I see.” Frederic sneered, not even flinching as Hector’s blade stopped inches from his face. “Temper, temper, Hector. You wouldn’t want to start a war now would you?” 

“You did that the moment you stole the moonstone.” Hector snarled, yanking his wrist from Adira’s grip. 

“I didn’t steal anything. Quirin was on my land when I took it.” He responded with mock offense. He laughed at their shocked expressions. “Oh, didn’t Edmund tell you. Quirin and his pathetic child were hiding right here. He probably thought he was saving them!” 

Hector didn’t have time to stop Adira before her fist collided squarely with Frederic’s nose. “Don’t you dare talk about either of them like that.” She sneered, a dangerous glint in her eye. 

Frederic laughed despite the blood pouring down his face. “It doesn’t matter, you’re too late.” 

“There’s an opening over here!” A guard shouted above the noise. They shared a look before sprinting off to find a way around the rocks. 

“Better hurry if you wish to catch them!” Frederic shouted after them, manic laughter following. 

*********************

_ She was back in that place, but something had changed. The sun was still in front of her, but the moon was no longer directly above. It had shifted to be across from the sun. Her head also felt heavier, and when she looked behind her she could see golden hair trailing behind, like it had come from the sun itself. This time she walked towards the moon instead of the sun. The closer she got, she could make out a figure in the distance. A figure she recognized.  _

_ “Varian!” She called, the word echoed in her mind, but somehow he heard. His head lifted, from where it had been on top of his knees, which were pulled tightly to his chest and his arms wrapped around his legs.  _

_ “Rapunzel?” He questioned, his voice taking on the same echoing quality hers had. His eyes were glassy with tears, tears that trailed down his cheeks, and caused ripples in the stars beneath them. She nodded in response, surging forward, her arms spread wide. Instead of the warm welcome she was expecting, he scrambled back trying to get away from her. She stopped, eyebrows knitting together in confusion. Fresh tears sprung in his eyes, as a sob wracked his body. “You’re dead. I saw you die!”  _

_ “Varian, I’m okay. I’m right here.” She tried reaching for him again, retreating as he curled in on himself, hands covering his ears and rocking back and forth.  _

_ “You’re not real. I saw you die. You’re not real. I saw you die.” He repeated the words like a mantra, trying to convince himself of the fact.  _

_ “Varian-“  _

_ “No! Shut up! Shut up, please.” The fight in him seemed to die with those words, leaving him nothing more than a sobbing mess. She didn’t say anything this time, lest she scare him again, she simply reached out and gently lifted his chin so he was looking at her, truly seeing her for the first time since she arrived here. She wasn’t expecting to see herself be stabbed by her father, fall mercilessly to the ground. She felt his pain, fear, anger, gut wrenching hurt. It felt like her soul was being torn apart bit by bit and sloppily stitched back together. The shock of it all sent her reeling, tumbling back, until she was falling through the sky.  _

_ She stopped abruptly in a meadow. A meadow she recognized, but not quite. Varian was sitting in the tall grass next to her, in the same position she had left him in. He seemed to be more present than he had in the expansive sky, running his fingers through the grass. “Are you real? Is any of this real?” He questioned, eyes meeting hers again. She didn’t answer, she didn’t know. Was this real? Was she? She had clearly seen herself die, she remembered the pain, the agony, the panic, and desperation. And she remembered a song.  _

_ Flower gleam and glow, _

_ The words echoed around them, though neither of them spoke them. There was no voice to it, but somehow they heard it. And she knew Varian heard it by the way he looked around, slightly panicked, hands tightening in the grass. Her hair lit up, golden like the sun. His taking on the blue glow she was so familiar with.  _

_ Let your power shine,  _

_ Images flew in front of her eyes. Images of her mother and father, happy and laughing. Images of Corona in flames her father laughing maniacally.  _

_ Make the clock reverse, _

_ She saw a much younger Horace, sitting on the lap of a large man with a crown on his head as they talked about the stars. She saw Horace as she knew him now, sword locking with the same man.  _

_ “Step aside, Horace!”  _

_ “No! You know this is not the way!”  _

_ Bring back what once was mine,  _

_ She saw Cassandra standing in front of Frederic, eyes alight with rage, a fierce green cutting through the duller green she knew. She saw a young Cassandra rambling excitedly to a very annoyed Gothel.  _

_ Heal what has been hurt,  _

_ She saw Varian, little, babbling as he ran around picking up random items and handing them to the man trailing after him, laughing. She saw Varian motionless on the ground, blue stripe missing from his hair. The same man from before cradling him close to his chest, tears falling freely.  _

_ “What did you do? What did you do?!”  _

_ Change the fates design,  _

_ She saw herself, eyes downcast, as her father reprimanded her for going into the dungeons. She saw herself desperately grabbing her long locks as the blonde faded from it. She couldn’t save them without, she couldn’t.  _

_ Save what has been lost, _

_ She saw Corona, thriving and full of life. She saw her castle, her kingdom, destroyed.  _

_ Bring back what once was mine, _

_ The visions stopped. She was back in the meadow, her hands clasped with Varian’s. His eyes were wide and she knew he saw them too. She opened her mouth to say something, anything.  _

_ What once was mine.  _

_ The world exploded, surrounding them in gold and blue.  _

Her eyes shot open. Her breathing was erratic, heart pounding rapidly in her chest. Horace appeared in her line of vision, cupping her face gently. 

“Hey, it’s okay, Freckles. You’re okay. It was just a dream.” He comforted, rubbing her back trying to soothe her. She leaned into the touch, allowing herself to calm a bit. 

It was just a dream.  _It was just a dream._


	22. Family

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promise this chapter was supposed to have plot development but it turned into more hurt/comfort. Also today in things my phone autocorrected to, it changed Cassandra to casserole. And I don’t understand cause Cassandra is not even wrong lol. Bonus points to anyone who can correctly guess the song used in this chapter. Enjoy!!

Varian’s eyes shot open, only for him to close them immediately after. His head was pounding, the visions from his dream still at the forefront. He felt like he couldn’t breathe, as the dream replayed in his head. It had been a jumbled mess, too much happening at once. He had seen Horace, Cassandra, himself, his dad, and even Rapunzel. But Rapunzel was dead. He had seen her die, and it tore him to pieces. He remembered the pain, desperation, and panic as she fell to the ground. The absolute rage that surged through his body at the unfairness of it all. He still felt it, lingering, waiting to be called upon again. And then nothing, until the dream. She had been there. She had seen the things he did, felt his pain, and claimed to be real. 

He forced his eyes open, fighting through the pain in his head as the light bombarded his senses. His vision swam and his stomach churned. He was vaguely aware of the voices around him, but he blocked them out as best he could, the noise only hurting him more. He felt sick as he tried to get up. Hands pushing, pulling, grabbing him. He didn’t know, it didn’t matter. He just needed to know if Rapunzel was alive or not. So he fought back, forcing himself into a sitting position, the world blinking in and out of focus. His stomach churned again, giving him barely enough time to turn his head and empty its contents into the bucket that was abruptly shoved into his hands. He sat like that for a moment dry heaving, what little he had in his stomach already gone. 

He cradled the bucket to his chest, trying to catch his breath, but he couldn’t between the heaving and the rising panic in his chest. He couldn’t get enough air and the faster he tried to breath, the shorter and more erratic his breathing became, until he couldn’t get any.  _ He couldn’t breathe. _ No matter how hard he tried he just couldn’t. As soon as he thought he might get a breath, his stomach churned, forcing him to spit up whatever little was left inside. He could feel hot tears running down his cheeks as well, turning every breath into a desperate sob. Spots danced in his vision, but still he fought. To breathe, to move, to find Rapunzel,  _ to do anything.  _

He felt a pair of strong arms wrap around him, tightly. It was strangely grounding. A voice rang out loud and clear, cutting through all the terrible things that swirled in his mind. 

_ “Look to the stars my darling,” _ He could feel his breaths evening out, his sobs slowing. 

_ “Life is strange and vast,” _ His sobs stopped, allowing him to get more frequent breaths. 

_ “Filled with wonders and joy,” _ He was shaking, breath slowing to a normal pace. 

_ “Face each new sun, with eyes clear and true,” _ He blinked back the last of his tears, vision clearing as he calmed down. 

_ “Unafraid of the unknown, because I’ll face it all with you.”  _ The voice stopped singing, moving a hand to gently poke his nose. Despite how terrible he still felt, Varian laughed at the action. “How’re you feeling, little man?” 

“‘m ‘kay.” Varian mumbled, rubbing his eyes and sniffling. Against his better judgment, and the fact that he still didn’t know where he was, he leaned into the man’s hold, head resting on his chest. His head still hurt, his stomach was still upset, but the beating of the man’s heart was almost therapeutic, the exhaustion of the previous events catching up to him. There were still questions lingering in his mind. He took a shaky breath before asking. “Where?” 

It was all he could manage to get out at the moment, but it seemed to be enough. Elliott’s face popped into view, taking the bucket from him and placing it on the floor. “Don’t worry. Everyone is safe. We’re all here.” He said, gently tilting Varian’s head towards him so he could get a better look at the new bump on it. He clicked his tongue. “You really did a number on him, Cassandra.” 

“He more than returned the favor.” Cassandra grumbled. Varian looked passed Elliott to see Cassandra, wincing as Horace wrapped her hand in gauze. The brief exchange sparked concern in him, but he still needed to know about Rapunzel. And considering he had seen her die, it was his first priority. 

“Rapunzel?” He questioned, stomach doing flips as he waited for an answer. 

“I’m here.” Her voice called, sounding as exhausted as he felt. He still couldn’t see her, but her voice would have to do for now. At least he knew she was here and alive. He didn’t really care how. He startled when the sound of a chair being dragged across the floor echoed on their small space. He grimaced, the sound causing the pounding in his head to increase. Horace sat in the chair, leaning back with a smirk on his face. Varian knit his eyebrows together in confusion. When did Horace have a mustache? 

“So, now that everyone’s awake and more or less coherent, let’s discuss next steps.” Horace spoke, something about his voice and his demeanor in general, was off. 

“Can we get a minute, for crying out loud? They literally just woke up.” Horace groaned. Varian blinked, that didn’t make sense. And yet there was Horace leaning in the chair and standing at the foot of the bed. 

“Fine, whatever, take all the time you need. Just remember each second that passes Freddy is that much closer to dragging your asses back to whatever hellhole you crawled out of.” The mustached Horace said, clearly annoyed. 

“Come on, Flynn, don’t be like that. They look like they’ve been through the ringer as it is.” The man holding him said, slight whine in his tone. 

“You’re right, Lance. I’m sorry guys. Things have been a bit rough lately. There’s a ship leaving for Equis in two days. Decide by then. I’m going to get some more supplies.” Flynn rose from his chair, grabbing a satchel and cloak before exiting the hideout.

“Sorry about him. I promise he’s not usually like this, but we’ve had too many close calls as of late.” Lance explained, heaving a big sigh. 

“It’s okay. We appreciate any help we can get.” Rapunzel said, finally on her feet. Her neck was craned awkwardly as she tried to pull her long hair forward with her. It took her more time than necessary to take the few steps to Varian’s location, Horace hovering behind her like she might topple over at any second. Sitting in front of him she moved her hair into a pile on the bed, relieving some of the strain from her neck. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, eyes brimming with tears and a small smile on her lips. He could feel his own tears welling back in his eyes. She let out a brief laugh, moving his own hair from his face. “Hi.” 

That single word was all the invitation he needed. He threw himself into her arms, sobbing once again. She was here, and she was real, and he didn’t ever want to let her go. It seemed she felt the same, her arms tight around him. He could feel her shaking, tears falling into his hair. He could feel her pain, her panic, her confusion at the situation, the hurt caused by her father. But she was also happy, relieved, and warmer in a way that could only be compared to that of the sun. He felt it all like they were his own emotions. 

Her voice pulled him out of his thoughts, low enough so that only he could hear her. “Did you see it too?” It was phrased in such an open ended way, leaving plenty of room for interpretation. A safety net in case she was wrong and he hadn’t had the same dream, but he knew what she was talking about. 

“I saw everything.” He left his response as open ended as her question, knowing she understood the response when her grip tightened around him. 

“I’m sorry you had to see that, kiddo.” Horace said, sitting behind Rapunzel and placing an arm around her, obviously thinking they were talking about her death. And maybe they were a little bit. “But we’ve really got to work on your anger management.” 

“Tell me about it.” Cassandra chuckled dryly, moving to sit on the edge of the bed, eyes softening as she met Varian’s. “How’re you feeling?” 

Varian sniffled, scanning her over. She was paler, her right hand wrapped tightly in gauze, red staining it slightly. “I did that?” She looked away and that was answer enough. If he had any tears left he knew they would already be falling. He had hurt Cassandra, he didn’t mean to but he had. “Cassie, I-“ 

“Don’t.” She interrupted, sucking in a breath. “Don’t apologize, I hurt you too.” 

He blinked rapidly, the searing pain in his head making more sense. “You did?” Cassandra seemed at a loss for words, looking to anyone to help her. 

“It doesn’t matter right now. All that matters is were all safe.” Elliott responded, placing a hand on Cassandra’s shoulder. 

“Awwww, I feel a group hug coming on!” Lance squealed, pulling everyone into a hug. Horace groaned, Cassandra yelped in surprise, Elliott chuckled, and Rapunzel was laughing. It was with a startling revelation that Varian felt his own laughter bubbling past his lips. It was an awkward hug and definitely uncomfortable, especially with him being the unfortunate soul stuck in the middle, but he truly felt safe. 

He wondered if this is what it felt like to have a family. Sure they weren’t his dad, but he felt safe, and protected,  _ and loved. And if that wasn’t a family, he wasn’t sure what was.  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ps: correct me if I’m wrong but I think this is the first time Varians laughed.


	23. Right and Wrong

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I see you Ducktales fans! Congrats to everyone who correctly guessed that the song Lance sand was Della’s song!! Enjoy!!!

Brock shifted from foot to foot, cloak pulled tightly around him. It was the middle of summer, but the night air still held a certain chill to it. To top it off he was just waiting, no additional body heat being produced, and he hated waiting. His stomach turned, anxiousness settling at the bottom of it. He had to keep reminding himself that what he was doing was for the greater good, what he was doing was right. Even as the familiar redhead made her way towards him, he repeated the mantra in his head. 

“Flynn.” She greeted, eyes narrowing a fraction. 

“Stalyan.” He responded, matching her glare. 

“I’m assuming from the message you sent, you have what I asked for.” She drawled, looking at her fingernails as if bored. 

He bit the inside of his cheek. There was still time to back out, he could make something up. His eyes drifted to the black rocks, barely visible in the moonlight. If she was right and the kid had caused this, then he was a danger. He would save lives, continue saving them as he helped people find better lives in more lenient kingdoms. But if he was wrong and this wasn’t the kid she was looking for, well then he just condemned an innocent soul to death if Frederic had his way, worse if they sent him to Weasel. It was one life compared to hundreds. It should be an easy decision. It had been before. He easily rejected her proposal to inform her if a kid matching the description she gave came through one of his hideouts. Now looking at the destroyed shops and homes of old Corona, not so much. 

Swallowing thickly he made his decision, praying to the sun above it was the right one. “I believe I do.” 

She scoffed. “You either do or don’t. I need a straight answer,  _ Brock.”  _

He cringed at the use of his given name. “Well, I don’t know, Stal. I didn’t ask him if he had any magical powers hiding behind those buck teeth of his.” 

“You’re wasting my time.” She huffed, turning to leave. 

“They will be boarding a ship to Equis in two days. You can scope the kid out for yourself at the docks, but he does match the description you gave.” He said. There was no harm in giving her this information. Either the kid was the one she was looking for and he’d have saved lives, or it wasn’t and the kid would be left alone to start anew in Equis. The situation completely out of his control, almost as if he had no hand in it at all. 

He had just enough time to catch the small pouch Stalyan tossed to him. She smirked. “You’ll get the rest once we get the kid.” 

He watched her leave, an unsettling feeling at the pit of his stomach. The coins felt unusually heavy in his hands. He could already see Lance’s disappointed face. He ignored the dread creeping into his mind. This was for the greater good, this was  _ right.  _ It had to be. 

**********************

Horace smiled, watching as Rapunzel and Varian sat on the bed together reading the book he had given Varian. He would jump in from time to time, pointing out his favorite parts. Lance did the same, adding more commentary than was necessary, but Varian hung on to every word like his life depended on it. He was glad he had time to grab his satchel before everything went to shit. The satchel containing Rapunzel’s journal and Varian’s book along with his medications. Although now that he thought about it he wondered if the medicine would even be necessary. The flower had disappeared, but Rapunzel had sprouted a whole seventy feet of hair and that couldn’t be a coincidence. It gave him an idea, but first he needed to get them alone. 

“Hey Lance, do you think we could get some privacy for a minute?” He asked, Cassandra raising an eyebrow at his suggestion from where she laid on a bed, arm draped across her face. 

“Uh, sure.” Lance responded, looking around awkwardly for a second, before exiting the way they had come in. Now that Lance was gone, Horace made his way to Rapunzel, picking up some of her hair. He plopped some on top of Varian’s head and wrapped some around Cassandra’s hand. 

“What-“ Rapunzel started, only to be cut off by Horace. 

“Do the incantation.” He instructed, looking to Cassandra. She looked like she wanted to protest, but he cut her off before she had the chance. “Just trust me, please.” 

She rolled her eyes. “Fine. Flower gleam and glow-“ She stopped for a second as Rapunzel gasped, her hair lighting up. “Let your power shine. Make the clock reverse. Bring back what once was mine.” 

“What was that?” Rapunzel asked, voice trembling slightly. 

“Long story short, Cassandra was hoarding a magic flower with healing powers when you say the magic words. We used it to save your life, blonde hair grew, flower gone. And now we’re seeing if it still has any of its magical healing properties.” Horace explained in a rush, undoing the hair from Cassandra’s hand. 

“Oh, okay?” Rapunzel said, not really sure how to process the information. 

Horace felt bad, she deserved a better explanation, but right now they needed to know if it worked and what to do from there. Cassandra sucked in a deep breath, holding up her hand from them to see. It was completely healed, save for thesmall scar in the center of her hand shaped like a crescent moon. He turned his attention to Varian. “Var, how do you feel?” 

“I feel like I’m going to be sick.” Lance said from the doorway, heads turning rapidly to face him. 

“Lance! I told you to give us a minute!” Horace chided, desperately trying to come up with a plausible explanation as to what it was Lance just witnessed. 

“I know, I know. And I totally respect that, but I left some cookies in the oven and they were going to burn. I couldn’t let the cookies burn, Horace!” Lance explained, frantically. 

“He does have a point.” Rapunzel agreed, shrugging her shoulders. 

“Cookies do sound nice.” Elliott’s voice drifted down from where he was laying on a top bunk. 

“I could go for a cookie.” Cassandra agreed. 

“I wanna try a cookie!” Varian exclaimed excitedly. 

Horace dragged a hand down his face, it seemed like he was going to have to be the responsible one today. “Fine. Everyone take a damn cookie, but you cannot tell  _ anyone _ about this.” He stressed. 

“About the cookie?” Varian asked, tilting his head slightly. 

“About the- what? No! Not about the cookie! About her fucking magical glowing hair!” Horace gestured wildly to Rapunzel’s mess of hair. 

“But we’re still having cookies, right?” Lance asked. 

“Of course we’re still having cookies!” Horace groaned, covering his ears as Rapunzel squealed very loudly next to him. She scrambled off the bed, followed closely by Varian. Cassandra carried Rapunzel’s hair and set it down next to her chair so she would be more comfortable. Lance eyed it as he set the cookies down to cool. 

“You know, I could braid that for you.” He said, waving a hand over the cookies to cool them faster. “It wouldn’t help with the weight, but it wouldn’t be dragging everywhere.” 

“Oh, I would love that! Thank you, Lance.” Rapunzel said, taking the cookie offered to her. She blew on hers to cool it further, while she waited for everyone to get a cookie. 

“I propose a toast.” Lance declared, holding his cookie high in the air. Slowly they all raised their cookies, Varian looking confused but complying nonetheless. “To new friends and new adventures. So that wherever we may end up, we find our happily ever after.” 

They all brought there cookies to meet in the middle, tapping them against one another, before each taking a bite. Varian’s eyes lit up almost immediately, smile spreading across his face. “This is the best thing I’ve ever tasted!” 

“This is one damn good cookie.” Cassandra seconded, taking another bite. 

“I’ll drink to that.” Horace raised his glass of milk and took a hearty sip. Rapunzel laughing beside him at his new milk mustache. 

“You look like Flynn!” Lance howled, banging a fist on the table. 

“He does!” Elliott laughed, finishing off his cookie. 

“I do not! Cheekbones like these don’t come around twice in a generation, people! They just don’t!” Horace cried, wiping the milk from his lip furiously. 

“You’re right.” Cassandra, of all people l, agreed with him. “Flynn has normal sized ears.” She concluded, taking a deliberate bite of her cookie. 

Horace’s hands flew to his ears. He couldn’t believe this blasphemy. Rapunzel placed a hand on his arm, smiling at him. “It’s ok, it just means there’s more of you to love.” She said, laughing behind her other hand. 

“Et tu, Freckles?” Horace held a hand to his chest in mock offense. She shrugged her shoulders, giggling. He couldn’t help but smile softly at her. He swore he could see a slight dusting of pink on her cheeks, making the freckles on them stand out more. He didn’t even realize everyone else had gone quiet, knowingly looking between the two, until Varian broke the silence. 

“Can I have another cookie?” He asked, oblivious to what the others had realized. 

“No.” Elliott answered, sighing as Varian deflated. “You need something more substantial in your stomach, truthfully we all do. But perhaps after that.” 

“Hey, no need to look so glum. I can show you how to braid while we wait for Flynn to get back.” Lance decided, picking up a brush and settling behind Rapunzel, patting the spot next to him. 

It didn’t take long for them to fall into a routine, Varian and Cassandra worked on smaller braids, while Lance worked on the bigger braid. Horace had picked up Varian’s book, reading aloud for the group. Just as Horace was finishing the last of the book, Flynn returned. Horace frowned, something about him seeming off. He watched the other man closely, as he placed the food on the table and talked with the group, a smile plastered on his face. He had grown up in politics, he knew a fake smile when he saw one. He noticed the way it faltered whenever he looked at Varian, which was more often than he’d like. He tried to ignore the growing feeling of dread in the pit of his stomach, as he seemed to be the only one noticing something was wrong. But he couldn’t shake it. 

_ Something was very wrong and he needed to get to the bottom of it.  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I felt that I might need to explain Stalyan and Brocks relationship. But essentially they used to be a couple and Brock was part of the Vardaros gang until Lance came along. He convinced him to do better so they started helping refugees and took on their new names. Stalyan knows this but never had the heart to stop them. So after she visited Andrew she found Brock and told him about Varian and to keep an eye out. First he denied, but after the destruction of Old Corona he decided to tell her. He’s very at war with himself over the situation, which is why he was rushing them at first cause he pretty much didn’t want to have to make a decision. I just thought I’d explain a bit here since I’m not sure it’ll have an actual place in the story to cover this. Kay bye!!!


	24. Pieces

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pretty short chapter and nothing particularly exciting but ‘‘twas a necessary evil to get all our players in place. There is a pretty big name drop that I’m sure you’ll all get so there’s that at least! Also I’m considering splitting this up into a series. Would y’all prefer that or one giant story? Enjoy!

Rapunzel twirled excitedly. She was absolutely loving her braided hair. Like Lance had said, it didn’t do anything for the weight, but it was so much more convenient than having it drag across the floor. Especially now that they were moving again. Flynn had said they were moving to a location closer to the docks so when the ship came they could just hop on without being spotted. She still had a lot of questions, most regarding her death and resurrection, but they could wait until they were somewhere safe. Right now she was happy they were together. 

“Everyone ready?” Flynn asked, hoisting his pack onto his back. Each gave varying degrees of affirmation. She smiled softly, watching as Horace helped Varian adjust his pack. She absolutely adored the way Horace treated him like a little brother. He straightened Varian’s vest, the boy looking awkward in his new clothes, whispering something to him before shooting her a wink. Her face flushed and Varian laughed at whatever Horace had said. She quickly averted her eyes, feeling embarrassed that she had been caught staring. 

“You feeling okay, Raps?” Cass asked from beside her, smug look on her face. She could feel her cheeks warming even more. “You’re looking a little red, there.” 

“I-I’m fine, Cass. How’s your hand?” She asked, desperately wanting to get the attention away from herself. 

Cassandra frowned, opening and closing her hand. “It’s fine. I can’t feel anything in the center though.” She picked a bit at the bandages wrapped around it. It had been Lance’s suggestion to wrap it so Flynn wouldn’t suspect anything. 

“I thought this was supposed to fix it?” Rapunzel questioned, lowering her voice to a whisper and gesturing to her hair. 

“Me too, but I guess its power has a limit. It probably took a lot to bring you back.” Cassandra responded, tracing where her injury had once been. 

“I’m sorry.” Rapunzel’s eyes drifted to the floor. Suddenly feeling very guilty about the whole situation. If she hadn’t gone out there she wouldn’t have died and Cass’s hand wouldn’t have been hurt. 

“It’s not your fault. Your life is more important than my hand.” Cass said, hand dropping to her side. 

“But-“ 

Rapunzel’s words died in her throat as Cassandra placed both hands on her shoulders. “Never question your worth, Raps.” 

Rapunzel nodded, at a loss for words. Thankfully the silence didn’t last long as Varian came up to them. 

“Look what Lance gave me!” Varian exclaimed excitedly, shoving a small pile of books towards them. “And- and Horace said that when we get to Selene, he’ll take me to the library, which is this place that’s full of books, and we can read them all!” 

“That’s great, kid.” Cassandra replied sarcastically, hand moving to play with her bandage again. Rapunzel took the books and placed them inside Varian’s pack, rolling her eyes playfully at Cassandra’s tone. She for one was excited that Varian was slowly becoming like a normal kid, bits of his personality coming out everyday now. 

“And what do you plan to do when we get to Selene?” Rapunzel asked. 

Cassandra startled a bit at her question, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear. “Well, I kinda want to train in magic. I mean Mother was a sorceress, I must have some kind of ability for it. Like a way to carry on her legacy, you know?” 

“What do you know, she does have a heart.” Horace said, joining their group. He held his hands up in defense as Cassandra shot him a death glare. “I was joking. Geez, grow a funny bone, would ya?” 

“Why do I even bother with you?” Cassandra hissed, picking up her pace. Rapunzel shot him her own glare. 

Horace sighed, matching pace with Cassandra. “Look, Cass, if it’s something you really want there’s this wizard guy that was looking for an apprentice. His name is Matthews, very French, even more strange. But he’s quite talented from what I hear. He can probably help you.” 

“Thanks.” Cassandra responded sincerely. 

“Hey, one more thing, think about forging your own path, some people aren’t lucky enough to choose.” Horace added. Rapunzel frowned, noticing a sad longing look in his eye that she had never seen before. She placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, he quickly covered it with his own. “Everyone should get to choose, I’m sorry I took that choice from you, Blondie.” 

He brought her hand to his lips in a quick kiss, a kiss that sent her heart a flutter, cheeks turning bright red. “Blondie?” She asked, tilting her head. 

“Uh, yeah, you know cause of- of the hair.” He faltered. “I don’t have to call you that if you don’t like it.” 

“Thank you.” Rapunzel rose to her tip toes, placing a kiss to his cheek. “For saving my life.” She skipped ahead, before he could see her growing blush. Horace had truly been a blessing through this all, rarely complaining and always lending a helping hand. He did things that she would have never imagined someone would do for people they barely knew. He consistently put his life in danger for them. He was kind and thoughtful. And she wanted to spend every possible moment with him. She briefly wondered if she should tell him how she felt, now that they would be on their way to Selene, she might not have another chance depending on what his plans were. She made up her mind, she would tell him as soon as they boarded the ship, it should be smooth sailing from there. 

**********************

“And you’re sure this came from a reliable source?” Frederic asked, glancing to his left where Stalyan was seated. 

“Yes. He is not a hundred percent sure it’s the moonstone, but it makes sense given the circumstances.” Stalyan said, glancing at Andrew, daring him to contradict her. 

“How much longer until the project is complete?” Frederic turned his attention to Andrew, who was seated on the stairs below them. 

“It’s almost done. Four days give or take.” Andrew responded. 

Frederic clicked his tongue. “Disappointing. No matter, I have something else to lure it out. Just make sure it’s ready when we return.” 

“Gladly.” 

*******************

Hector’s lips curled in disgust, as his boots squished the sand beneath them. If there was anything he hated more than flying it was sailing. But unfortunately Adira always got her way. He couldn’t really argue with her logic either, which made her even more infuriating. They hadn’t been able to catch up with the moonstone after their impromptu conversation with Frederic, so their next move was trying to predict where to go next. And fortunately, unfortunately for Hector, they had caught wind of a ship leaving for Equis. If he was on the run with a powerful magical item he would jump on the first ship out as well. 

So here they were waiting for the ship. _Waiting for all the pieces to align._


	25. Broken Reunions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *takes deep breath* I’m sorry, please don’t kill me. 
> 
> Also slight warning for this chapter: there are brief mentions of suicidal thoughts and a suicide attempt. It’s like very brief but if it makes you uncomfortable just skip the second paragraph.

Everyday for the last ten years had been the same. He would get up, think of his son, eat whatever food was brought to him, think of his son, and train as best he could all while thinking of his son. Everything he did,  _ everything he was, _ was for his son. In hopes that one day he might see him again, might hold him again. And everyday he regretted the decisions he made that brought him to this point. 

He thought about ending it at one point, he had the scars to prove it, but he had backed out at the last second, images of his sons bright eyes dancing in front of his eyes. He should have gone through with it. He knew why he was here. He wasn’t an idiot, it’s the same thing he would have done once upon a time. He was leverage, a bargaining chip in case his son,  _ his son that he had doomed to this fate, _ got out of line. But he stayed because he was selfish. He wanted to see his son’s curious nature again, his smile, moon above,  _he wanted to hear his laugh._ And so he stayed. 

Then one day something changed. The shaking had awoken him from his sleep. He could feel the power of the moonstone growing faint and further away with each passing moment. He couldn’t help the smile that grew on his face for a brief moment.  _ His son was free.  _ He might not get to see him again but he was free and safe and no longer in Frederic’s grasp. And he could live with that. 

During the days that followed, Frederic had become increasingly manic. He had long since stopped trying to talk him down during his visits. Frederic ranted and raved, furiously pacing in front of his hidden cell. He didn’t know where he had gone and that made him even more unstable. From what he gathered Frederic’s own daughter had been the one to free his son. He took comfort in that, while he didn’t know the girl personally, he knew from Frederic’s tirades she was far more independent and caring than he could handle. 

Then things changed again. Frederic had returned from Old Corona with a bloody nose and a smile on his face. The princess was dead, killed by her own father, and he knew where his son was going. The regret and fear returned tenfold as Frederic stopped in front of his cell. He knew what was coming, he knew it before the words left his mouth. The day he both dreaded and looked forward too. He would get to see his son again, but at what cost. 

******************

It had been a long two days of travel. The tunnels were full of twists and turns which made it hard to pinpoint their exact location. On top of that they most likely weren’t going in a straight line either. He spent most of his time talking to Lance or Rapunzel, occasionally steering Varian away from an obstacle as he had his nose in a book. He found he was quite fond of Lance. The man was very open and friendly, his personality genuine. He seemed to truly care about the people he was helping, unlike Flynn. He seemed jumpy, hesitating whenever they came to a fork in the path, and when he thought no one was looking he’d cast a pitying glance at Varian. 

He hated the feeling of dread that grew in his stomach as they approached the end of the last tunnel. He was conflicted, himself. He knew something was wrong, he knew it in the depths of his soul, but they needed to get on that ship, they needed out of Corona if they stood a chance against Frederic. He swallowed his fears and doubts, climbing to the surface with the rest of their rag tag group. The sun was shining brightly, not a cloud in sight, and Horace thought maybe, just maybe he was wrong and everything would be fine. 

“Just look at this place!” Rapunzel squealed, eyes wide as she gestured to the town in front of them. It was much larger and busier than Old Corona, but he supposed that made sense since they were at a port town. She ran straight into the crowd, the weight of her hair not bothering her for the moment. Varian had a much different reaction. He took a step back eyes wide as he clutched the book close to his chest, obviously overwhelmed at the amount of people and noise. 

“Don’t worry, little man. No ones going to hurt you here.” Lance said, placing a gentle hand on Varian’s back, guiding him forward. Horace went to follow when a familiar voice called out, halting his progress. 

“Fishskin!” He cringed openly at the nickname, but smiled nonetheless when his eyes found Adira and Hector. He met them halfway, throwing formality out the window, as he wrapped both of them in a hug. 

“How’d you get all the way out here?” Hector asked, ruffling Horace’s hair as the other man slapped his hand away. 

“I could ask you the same!” Horace shot back, wide smile on his face, when a realization hit him. “I’ve got someone you’re gonna want to meet.” He signaled for them to wait as the two knights exchanged a look. “Blondie! Guys! Get over here!” 

He gathered the group with ease and made his way back to his knights. “Adira, Hector, this is Rapunzel, Cassandra, Elliott, Lance,” He pointed to each respectively, giving their own variations of a hello. Save for Rapunzel who didn’t hesitate to hug them as Horace did. Both looked extremely uncomfortable, but thankfully didn’t say anything. He saved Varian for last, placing his hands on his shoulders as he maneuvered the boy to the front of the group. “And this is Varian. He’s-“ 

“Nephew!” Hector exclaimed, picking the boy up and spinning him around. Horace couldn’t help but laugh, at Varian’s terrified expression, which only increased when Hector set him down and Adira picked him up to do the same. Perhaps he should’ve given Varian some warning, or at least told him about Hector and Adira. The boy stumbled once he was finally set back down, Rapunzel steadying him laughing slightly. 

“What’s going on?” Varian asked once he got his bearings again. Horace paled as Adira’s and Hector’s expressions fell. He definitely should have told Varian about them. Adira turned to him, slowly, deliberately. 

“You didn’t tell him about us?” She asked, hurt briefly flickered in her eyes. Hector’s hurt was much more visible on his features. He had always been the most emotional of the three. Horace opened his mouth to explain, eyes darting between the two, when he caught sight of a familiar redhead walking their way. 

“I’ll explain, promise, but right now we really have to go.” Horace explained in a rush, turning only to be met with the other end of a sword. 

“I’m sorry, really I am.” Flynn said, eyes flicking to Stalyan. 

“We’re gonna need the kid.” Stalyan said joining the group, her thugs behind her. 

“Flynn, what’s going on?” Lance asked, glancing around. 

“I’m doing what’s right! The kid is dangerous, you saw what he did to Old Corona! He’s going back where he belongs.” Flynn shot back, sword shaking in his hands. 

“Over my dead body.” Hector sneered, sword sliding out from the piece on his wrist. Adira unsheathed her sword as well, lunging in sync with Hector easily slicing their way through Stalyan’s thugs. Horace took the distraction to drop to the ground, swiping Flynn’s feet from underneath him. He grabbed the fallen sword off the ground and tossed it to Cassandra, pulling out his own sword. 

“Can you fight?” He asked over the sounds of battle. 

“I can learn.” She responded, mirroring his stance. He briefly registered Elliott picking up a fallen weapon. Horace removed the dagger from his thigh, shoving it into Rapunzel’s hand, her eyes wide with fear as she shook her head. 

“Get Varian out of here. I’ll find you.” Maybe it was the adrenaline from the commotion around them, maybe it was something else, but he took a chance and briefly pressed his lips to hers. Her cheeks flushed, the smallest hint of a smile on her lips as she finally nodded, taking Varian’s hand in hers and running. “I’ll always find you.” 

*****************

Rapunzel’s heart pounded in her chest. She put all of her focus on getting out, definitely not on the tingling feeling where Horace’s lips had met hers. There would be time to process that later. Right now she needed to find the ship and get them out. They hadn’t even made it far before their path was blocked by Corinian soldiers. She stumbled back, shoving Varian protectively behind her. She held the dagger in front of her, though she knew it would do her little good. 

“I-I can help.” Varian whispered from behind her. She shook her head slightly. There were too many civilians around and as much as she hated to admit it, Varian’s powers were unpredictable at the best, uncontrollable at the worst. She took a step back, they would be safer with the rest of the group, Adira and Hector seemed very capable. 

“Leaving so soon.” Rapunzel’s heart stopped. Fear clawing at her insides, as the soldiers parted to make way for her father. 

“You-you’re not taking him.” She said, head held high despite the shaking in her hands. 

“You don’t get to make that decision. I’ve come to offer the moonstone a deal.” Frederic said, taking a step forward. She took a step back. 

“Then why did you attack us?” She demanded. 

“I believe your friends are the ones that attacked first. We are just defending ourselves.” He took another step forward, not caring that the tip of her dagger was touching his chest. “Step aside, daughter, I will not hesitate to dispose of you twice.” 

“What’s the deal?” Varian asked, stepping out from behind Rapunzel. 

“Ah, it does speak.” Frederic laughed. 

“What-what’s the deal? You said there was a deal. I want to hear it.” Varian repeated, voice shaking with every word. 

“Come with me and I will let all your little friends go. And if that’s not enough to convince you...” He gestured to the soldiers behind him. They parted once again, revealing a man, arms restrained behind his back. He looked like he could have been a great fighter once, now looking like an empty shell of his former self. 

“Dad!” Varian called, surging forward. His movements were stopped by Frederic grabbing his arm. 

“Do we have a deal?” He asked, eyes flicking dangerously from Varian to Rapunzel. 

“No!” Rapunzel yelled. 

“Son, don’t do it!” She heard his dad yell. 

She knew his answer before he spoke, his eyes darting around, wide with a sadness she had only seen in him a few times, before turning his gaze to Frederic. She would have done the same. “Promise you won’t hurt them?” 

“We have a deal.” Frederic gestured for the guards to release Varian’s dad. Rapunzel knew she didn’t have a lot of time. Swallowing any doubts she plunged her dagger into her father’s side. “You little _bitch!”_ He shrieked, slapping her like he did on her coronation night so long ago. She tumbled to the ground, hearing Varian shout something. Her vision swam, realizing that her head had hit a rock when she landed. When she looked back up the guards were attempting to restrain Varian, as he kicked and screamed. 

“Dad! _Daddy!”_ Varian screamed, fingers just missing his father’s as he reached out for him. Tears streamed down his face as a hand clamped over his mouth and he was roughly tossed into the prison cart she hadn’t noticed before. 

“Var-“ She tried to call out, but spots danced in her vision. 

She watched her father’s retreating form as she clawed at the ground in a desperate attempt to stop him. Black claimed her vision before she got far.  _They had lost. They had really, truly, lost._


	26. Misplaced Trust

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got to write two different points of view that I’ve never done before and I’m pretty happy with how they turned out! Enjoy!!

The ride back to Corona was anything but smooth. The cart jostled around, flinging him from one side to the other with every little bump. There was nothing to hold him in place, no seats or anything besides him in the cart. The chains around his wrists were familiar though. They held no power, unlike the ones he grew up wearing, but they were still uncomfortable. He eventually settled in the corner, knees brought to his chest as he sobbed freely into them. Except this time it was different. There was no one to comfort him, not Rapunzel, not Lance, or Horace, not even his dad. He even missed Cassandra’s tough love. He sobbed harder thinking about his dad. He was just coming to terms with the fact that he was gone and now he found out he was alive, only to have him ripped away from him again. He could feel the moonstones power thrumming beneath the surface. It would be so easy to let it out, to let it take over and do whatever it wanted, but he couldn’t. Doing so would make him the danger that Flynn saw him as. So he cried until he couldn’t anymore. 

Eventually the door opened and he was roughly pulled to his feet. He struggled to keep up as he was marched through the castle, hushed whispers spreading amongst the staff. The whispers eventually turned to jeers, some throwing things, others spitting at him, and the especially cruel tripping him. He was shaking keeping his eyes downcast as he tried to drown them out. 

“Murderer!”

“Monster!” 

“He’s a danger to us all!” 

He blinked rapidly trying to keep his tears from falling to no avail. His vision blurred with them. He didn’t notice the outstretched foot as a result, falling harshly to the ground. He curled in on himself as a foot collided with his ribs, then another and another. His breaths were coming out in ragged gasps, he didn’t think the abuse would stop until finally the guards pulled him back to his feet and they continued their trek. They eventually stopped in front of the throne, Frederic seated upon it, looking unfazed by the previous events. He was forced to his knees in front of the king. 

“The moonstone has been returned to us! Corona will prosper!” The crowd cheered, as music began and they dispersed into a dance. Frederic ran a hand through Varian’s hair possessively, causing him to flinch. Frederic sneered at the motion, fingers digging into his chin as he forced him to look him in the eyes. “You belong to me, do you understand?” 

Varian’s eyes hardened, a sudden surge of defiance flowing through him, and spit in Frederic’s face. His head snapped to the side when Frederic’s hand connected with his cheek. “She’s corrupted you, made you think you’re something more than you are. You are just a tool, a weapon. You will  _ never _ be anything else. I will gladly remind you of that.” Frederic gestured to the guards and he was dragged away again. 

“Tomorrow we ride to Selene! They caused this! This is war!” Frederic’s voice echoed through the hall, followed by the cheers of the crowd. 

******************

Andrew was furious. He had been lied to and played for a fool. And he did not like it one bit. How could he have not been told that the moonstone was a child? Was this not vital information? So when he had heard that they had returned with the moonstone he was beyond mad. He made his way down to the dungeons, a glass of water in one hand and grapes in the other. He wasn’t exactly sure where they would be keeping him, given the new cell was still being worked on by Clementine, so he wandered until he came to a cell in the back. He could barely make out the small form huddled in the corner. He whistled, causing the child to look up eyes wide with fear. 

“Hey, buddy.” Andrew coaxed, setting the glass in front of the cell and sitting next to it. “That was some pretty messed up shit Freddy pulled, huh?” 

“What?” The boy croaked, he really did look like shit. His cheek was already sporting a nasty bruise and his breaths were coming out in short rasps, a slight wheeze to them, likely cracked, bruised at the very least. 

Andrew popped a few grapes into his mouth. “I said Freddy’s a jackass.” 

The boy’s eyes narrowed, which would have looked more intimidating, especially with the way his eyes glowed slightly in the darkness of the cell, but then he sniffled, wiping his nose with the back of his sleeve. Gross. “Then why do you work for him?” 

Andrew almost chocked on a grape, a laugh escaping him. The kid had spunk, he could work with that. “Touché. But seriously, I didn’t know you were,  _well you._ And I  _ don’t _ like being lied to. Saporia is based on trust and loyalty.” 

“I thought you were Corinian.” He said, uncurling a bit. That was good, he was getting somewhere. 

“Nope.” Andrew pushed the glass through the bars of the cell. “I guess it depends on who you ask really, but Saporia was here long before Corona took over. Freddy promised us our kingdom back if we helped him, naturally we agreed. He just failed to tell us what that all entailed. And now, well, now I can’t trust him. Do you see my dilemma?” 

The boy scooted forward taking the water. Good. He was gaining his trust. Although he didn’t give a vocal response, simply nodding his head as he took a greedy drink from the glass. 

“I just want my home back. I’m sure you understand that.” Andrew leaned his head against the wall, sighing dramatically. He briefly wondered if he was laying it on too thick. 

The boy scooted closer still, reaching through the cell and placing a hand on his. “I do. I just want my dad and my friends back too.” 

Andrew had to fight back a scoff as the boy’s eyes started to water. He instead reached through the bars, cupping his face gently. “Hey, were friends now.” The boy nodded and Andrew smirked, it was almost too easy. “Why don’t we help each other?”

“H-how?” The boy asked, eyes searching his desperately for an answer. 

“We’ll figure something out. Just be ready when we come for you.” Andrew said, letting him go and standing up. The boy reached for him like a child reaching for their blanket. It was pathetic really. He tossed the grapes through the bars, watching as the boy picked them up cradling them close to his chest. 

“What is this?” He asked, staring at them like they were the most precious thing in the world. 

“A present.” Andrew replied sarcastically, which was lost on the boy as his eyes grew even wider with wonder, tears spilling over this time. 

“Thank you!” He responded, eyes glittering like stars. 

“Sure thing, buddy. Just remember to be ready.” Andrew said sternly. The boy nodding fervently, as Andrew headed towards the door. Hook line and sinker. This had been too easy. It was no wonder Stalyan didn’t tell him about the child. He had spent two minutes with him and he was already eating out of the palm of his hand. Now he just needed to tie up some loose ends. 

*********************

Lance held his sword to Brock’s chest, Brock no longer Flynn because Flynn would have  _ never _ done  _this._ His eyes danced with hurt and betrayal. They were supposed to be helping people, no matter who or what they were. They were never supposed to sell someone out regardless of the situation. They had made that oath, the moment they decided to start helping people, like no one had ever helped them. So it hurt to have Flynn, no Brock,  _ never Flynn again,  _ throw all that out the window for a sad sack of coins. He knew part of it was his fault, they weren’t supposed to get attached to the people they helped. It always made saying goodbye so much harder. But this group had captured his heart and he didn’t even want it back. 

He glanced around at the carnage, thankful that they had come out mostly unscathed, just a few bruises and scrapes. Although he had to give most of the credit to the white haired goddess Adira and her companion. They had disposed of most of the thugs, but Stalyan got away, because of course she did. And once Horace realized he had Flynn,  _ Brock _ _,_ handled, he went in search of Rapunzel and Varian. 

“Lance-“ Brock tried, reaching a hand out to him. 

“Shut up, shut up! I do not want to hear it.” Lance said, trying to drown out the other’s words. He didn’t get to explain, it wouldn’t fix anything. 

Lance turned his head upon hearing someone approaching. His heart skipped a beat, realizing it was just Cassandra and not the triumphant group he was expecting. He knew it was bad news by the way she picked at her bandages, a nervous tick she had picked up. One of her sleeves had been cut, just being kept together by a couple seems, her dress now came to above her knees, she had cut it off at some point during the battle, and her left cheek sported a nasty gash from where she had a close call with the business end of a sword. 

“He’s gone.” She said simply, eyes meeting his briefly. Her words could have so many different meanings, but in the end it didn’t really make a difference to Lance, it was Brock’s fault. He had trusted him,  _ they _ had trusted him, and he had torn that trust to pieces. He had intentionally torn a family apart. 

His feelings swirled together. Brock was his friend, but he had betrayed him. He wanted him to pay. He sent a kid,  _ a child _ _,_ knowingly into the hands of Frederic. It hurt, it hurt so bad Lance could feel himself trembling. He wanted him to pay for his mistake, he wanted him to know his pain. He raised his sword high in the air, bringing it down in one swift motion. He saw the panic flash across his former friend’s face, bringing his hands up to block the blow that never came. Lance embedded his sword in the ground next to Brock, fixing him with a glare. 

“You will live with your mistake. I am showing you the mercy you refused to show them.” Lance said, looping his arm in Cassandra’s as they started to walk away. 

“I did what I had to! I did what was  _right!”_ Brock yelled, sounding more like he was trying to convince himself of the fact. Lance turned suddenly, punching the other man square in the jaw. And damn did it  _ feel good.  _

He rejoined Cassandra, a new determination biting in his eyes. It might not have been his mistake, but  _ he’d stop at nothing to fix it.  _


	27. Brighter than the Sun

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay guys, I’ve decided to split this into books, if there called that lol! That being said this is going to be the last chapter in this story! I know there’s a lot unresolved at this point but the story is not over it’s just going to end this ‘book’. I hope everyone enjoys and look out for the next installment!

Horace was the first one to run as soon as the battle had stopped. Part of him wanting to find Rapunzel and Varian, the other not because that meant that they had gotten away and were safe. His heart both stopped and soared if that was possible. He saw Quirin, the man he thought he lost so long ago, he looked like shit but he was there and he was alive. Quirin was cradling Rapunzel to his chest, attempting to lift her with difficulty due to the chains still around his wrists. 

“Uncle?” Horace whispered not quite sure what he was seeing was real. 

Quirin’s head snapped up, just having enough time to place Rapunzel back on the ground, before Horace slammed into his chest. Horace let his tears fall, his face buried in the older man’s shoulder. “I thought you were dead. I-I thought Frederic he- I told Varian. I’m s-sorry I told him you were dead.” 

“It’s okay. You didn’t know. You couldn’t have known.” Quirin comforted, pulling away to cup Horace’s face. “Look at how much you’ve grown. Your parents must be so proud of you.” 

Horace laughed, about to respond when another voice cut him off. “Brother?” He turned to see Adira and Hector standing behind him, varying degrees of shock on their faces. Hector reacted much as he had, sliding across the ground and into Quirin and Horace. 

Adira was much more reserved, squeezing Quirin’s shoulder, although Horace could see the beginnings of tears brimming in her eyes. “I’m glad to have you back.” She said nodding her head. 

“Oh, shut the fuck up, Adira, and get down here.” Hector laughed, pulling his sister down into their hug despite her protests. 

Eventually Horace forced himself to pull away, wiping his eyes, and turning his attention to Rapunzel. “What happened?” He asked, moving her head so it was on his lap. Quirin swallowed thickly. Everyone giving him a moment to gather his thoughts as Horace took the moment to recite the incantation. 

Rapunzel’s eyes blinked open just as Quirin started his explanation. “Frederic took him. He sacrificed himself for me.” 

“He sacrificed himself for all of us.” Rapunzel continued, sitting up with Horace’s help, rubbing her temples. “I’m sorry- I’m sorry I couldn’t help.” 

“You’ve done more than enough, Princess. You gave my son a chance. And for that I couldn’t be more grateful.” Quirin said, taking Rapunzel’s hands in his. 

“Varian’s a great kid. He deserves the world.” Rapunzel responded, swiping at her eyes and wrapping Quirin in a hug. 

Horace gave them a moment, turning to Cassandra, as she placed a hand on his shoulder. “I’m going to check on Lance.” She said simply, looking a bit out of place. 

“What do we do now?” Rapunzel asked, pulling away from Quirin, although she kept her hand in his. 

“We need to regroup.” Adira said, her more stoic nature returning. 

“I agree.” Hector stood, crossing his arms across his chest. “We need to consult Edmund about our next move.” 

“So, back home then.” Horace concluded. 

“What? No! We can’t leave Varian.” Rapunzel protested. 

“We will come back, but the situation has become much more delicate. If anyone attacks it could be seen as an act of war from Selene.” Elliott explained. 

“Just Horace being here, could constitute as an act of war.” Quirin elaborated, squeezing Rapunzel’s hand gently. 

“Look, Blondie, we’re not going to force you to come back with us, but we have to go.” Horace said sadly. 

“Okay, let’s go, but promise we’ll come back as soon as possible.” Rapunzel pleaded. 

“I  _ promise _ _,_ as soon as we’re able.” Horace responded, pressing his forehead to hers. She finally nodded, although Horace could still see the conflict in her eyes. As they walked away from the scene, he couldn’t help but feel a little bit of regret. He wished they could storm the castle and demand Varian back. He was sure Quirin felt the same. He just hoped the boy would be okay until they could come for him. 

******************

Rapunzel felt lost. She at the bottom of the hot air ballon, journal open and paints spread out in front of her. Hector sat across from her, with Quirin’s head resting on his shoulder, having fallen asleep shortly after their take off. Adira was manning the controls, Lance at her side chatting her ear off, she looked like she wanted to throw him off the balloon. Elliott had opted to stay in Corona, wanting to continue Lance’s work and keep an ear out for any information on Varian. Cassandra and Horace were talking quietly, looking over the edge of the balloon. She would have joined them, but she wasn’t feeling very social. So she sat and stared at the empty page of her journal. She would have felt guilty enjoying the views as Varian was somewhere below suffering. She sniffled, wiping at her eyes as a few tear drops stained her journal page. 

“There’s nothing you could have done.” Her head snapped up, meeting Hector’s piercing green eyes. 

“What?” She asked.

“You can’t change the past, so work on changing the future.” Hector responded, turning his head away, signaling that he was done with their short conversation. She turned her eyes to the sky. She would change the future, she would find a way to be more useful. She would train and she would fight, until she took back her kingdom and she freed Varian for good. 

The sun shined brightly above them. The sun gave her hope, hope for the future, hope that everything might turn out all right. A new determination set her ablaze. She would grow from her mistakes, she would be strong.  _ And she would shine brighter than the sun.  _


End file.
